


Bookshop Coffee Stop

by orphan_account



Category: Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance
Genre: Abuse, Abusive Relationship Mentioned, Alternate Universe, Childhood Trauma, Depression, F/M, Fluff, Gerard and Frank are brothers, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Peterick, Self-Harm, Sexual Content, So is Mikey, Suicide Attempt, a little Ryden, but not the main relationship, gerard - Freeform, i swear this fic is turning into a novel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-16
Updated: 2013-11-18
Packaged: 2017-12-23 17:03:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 32,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/928955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's a theory that there are an infinite amount of infinitely-sized universes, each almost exactly the same to our own but with an infinite number of differences, hundreds of thousands of millions of tiny variations. I'd like to think that this is one of them.</p><p>For Patricia.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just re-read this and wow what shit. I'm gonna go through now editing any continuity errors and the like, I hate reading my own fics so much.

The rain hammered on the windows as Patricia worked on her laptop. The bittersweet scent of her coffee hung heavy in the air, along with the dusty smell of books. This place was one of her favourite places to just relax, with a coffee and a book, or to get some work for the library done.

Patricia looked up from her laptop to look around. She was the only one in here; not many people knew about that place. Just as Patricia was about to get up and get a book, a man burst through the door, soaked from head to foot. His cardigan clung to his thin frame, and his skinny jeans hugged his legs. His large leather boots squelched as he walked over to the coffee bar.

From this angle, she could see the streaks of eyeliner on his face and wet locks of short, dark brown hair clinging to his neck, not quite covering the scorpion tattooed there. He looked up to see her staring- Patricia blushed and looked down at her laptop. Footsteps approached, and a wet jean-clad leg just brushed her elbow as he walked past her to get to the toilets. Patricia glanced up to see him looking at her over his shoulder, and she groaned inwardly. _He probably thinks you're some creepy stalker or something_ , she thought- she chose this bookshop because a) it has coffee and b) nobody comes in here.

She put her headphones in and resumed listening to her music. A few moments later she heard a wet thud in front of her. Cautiously, she looked up, to see none other than the man who caught her eyeballing him. He sat there looking at her for a moment, before offering his hand for her to shake

"Caught you eyeballing me when I came in, so I thought I'd come say hello" He said, with a stupidly adorable boyish grin.

Blushing again, you shook his hand.

"I'm Frank" he said.

"Patricia" she murmured, then paused her music to give him her full attention.

“What are you listening to?" He asked, peering at her laptop.

"Plans, by death cabs for cutie." he grins that stupid grin again, and says;

"They rock! What other stuff do you like?"

They chatted about their music tastes, what books/comics they liked, their interests. The two of them were talking for over two hours before Patricia realized the time- she should have been home 20 minutes ago.

"Frank I'm really sorry but I have to go, I should have been home 20 minutes ago." She apologized, closing her laptop hurriedly and putting it in her bag.

"Maybe we could do this again some time?" She turned to see him pulling this dumb puppy dog face and pouting, his lip ring flashing in the light, and it just made her want to-

"Yeah sure, do you want my number?" Patricia asked hesitantly.

Before she can take it back, he gave her his phone "Sure, just put it in and I'll put mine in yours"

She giggled, blushed, then mentally kicked herself before typing in her number, under the name 'Patricia from the bookshop'. He gave her phone back with a knowing smirk. She walked out, putting her phone in her pocket as she went. She drove off, but not before she saw Frank waving from the window of the shop. It only took her ten minutes to drive home, and as soon as she got inside her phone ‘pinged!’ in her pocket with a message from 'hot wet guy from the bookshop'.

Laughing and blushing, she opened the door and walked in. Her mom wasn’t in, she worked at a factory down-town and wouldn't be home for a while. She immediately replied to franks text, hastily changing his name as she did.

Taking the stairs two at a time in her excitement, she ran into her room and put on some upbeat music to surf the internet to, texting frank at the same time. By the time she fell asleep, they had arranged to meet up in three days, on Saturday. Patricia fell asleep, phone in hand, memories of the day swirling through her mind.


	2. surprise nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy x

_Patricia is curled up in a dirty, sweat soaked bed. Light filters through a grotty window. The room smells of sex and weed and blood. Suddenly, the door flies open and a tall, taloned monster stalk in and pulls her of the bed. It claws her face, her body, and there’s nothing she can do, she’s paralysed standing, she can’t scream or fight back, she just has to take what’s coming to her because she deserves it, she really does-_

Patricia sat up fast, tears on her face and covered in sweat. The same nightmare, every night for god knows how long- at least it didn’t seem as long as usual.

Getting out of bed she remembered the day and what it holds in a flash. She grinned to herself, and ran downstairs to get breakfast. It was half nine, an early start for her, but then again it's not an ordinary day.

She cringed at that thought and actually kicked herself. Hurriedly, she gulped down scalding hot coffee, then dashed back upstairs to get dressed. Patricia pulled on a long sleeved top and skinnies with some doc martens and a thin sweater, brushed her teeth five times, applied make-up and straightened her hair. She and frank had arranged to meet at the bookshop at twelve, so she still had half an hour left.

Anxiety began to set in. She changed her shirt to a band shirt, then put on bracelets, but you could still see the scars on her forearms. She switched back to the other top. She settled down on the sofa to wait.

Soon enough doubtful thoughts started to creep in; what if it's some kind of elaborate dare? What if he stands you up? But he so seemed nice...but then again you know from experience that looks can be deceiving. So lost in her thoughts was she that she was almost late to the bookshop. When she arrived, Frank was sitting at the table they sat at yesterday, fiddling nervously with his hands. Calming her own nerves, she walked over to him and sat down.

"Hey." she said, blushing; she felt almost sick with butterflies the size of eagles in her stomach. He just grinned at Patricia and said;

"I made some plans for us." She could’ve sworn that her heart stopped for a second when he said ‘us’, but she just nodded and asked politely

"What are we going to do?"

"It's a surprise! Can I use your car? Mine's being repaired." She nodded again and led the way outside to her car and unlocked it. They both got in, he in the driver’s seat and she in the passenger seat. Frank sat there and just looked at her with hazel eyes like he was lost. Unable to help herself, Patricia stared back, eyes gliding over his silvery lip ring. As she gazed at him she just wanted to feel that cold metal agai-

"Frank, why are you looking at me like that?" He blushed deeply and apologised, then said

"I need to cover your eyes." Memories flashed before her eyes, gagged and blindfolded, tied down- she couldn’t get enough air into her lungs and something must have shown on her face because he immediately said;

"Oh my goodness are you okay? I'm so sorry we've only known each other for three days that's really out of li-"

"It's okay, Frank" She interrupted, laying a hand on his arm. She really didn’t want to scare him off, she really liked him.

"I just get freaked out easily." She doesn't want to tell him yet, not yet, she barely knew him. So she turned around cautiously and he tied a scarf over her eyes. She felt his long, guitarists fingers with calloused tips ghost over her face before the engine turned over and the car started to move.

~*~

He drove for what seemed like forever. It was almost the end of 'Dookie' before they reached their destination. He took off the scarf and she blinked a few times before she saw an old looking night club. They were parked just down the street from it- Patricia didn’t recognise this part of town

"What are we doing?" She asked again. Frank wrapped the scarf around his neck and gazed dreamily out the window, then said in a distant, husky voice;

"Oh just seeing a really obscure band, you've probably never heard of them", then puffed on an invisible cigarette. Patricia started giggling, and when she started she just couldn’t stop, but it was okay because he was soon laughing as well. When they both regained control, he leapt out the car and raced to open your door, bowing slightly as he did so. She stepped out regally and stood tall, gazing royally over the skanky, run down street.

"Madame?" Frank questions, holding out his hand.

"Of course, Francis" she said in a regal tone, before they both burst out giggling again. Passersby looked at them as though they were insane, which just made them laugh even more.

Eventually, she locked the car and proceeded to walk with Frank into the venue. She thought how she felt as though she'd known him all her life, and how that kind of thing only happened in the movies. Before she could voice her thought, Frank was handing two tickets into a ticket booth. He lead her down a corridor like he'd been there a thousand times before, until they come to a halt outside a pair of grimy blue double doors. The sign above them reads 'Fall Out Boy'. 

"They're really good, honestly. They’re good friends of mine". He assured her, seeing the apprehension on her face. He headed for the front, but she said she wanted to stay at the back until she could “get a feel for the music”. It sounded ridiculously pretentious but heswas fine with that, and they stood there quietly chatting while the room started to fill and the band did sound checks.

For such an early gig it was quite crowded- maybe not as obscure as Frank had said. It was already getting hot and she regretted not wearing the t-shirt, but then the band started playing.

The lead singer had an amazingly powerful voice that somehow doesn't fit his short, plump, trucker-hat wearing figure. The bassist had long, dark hair was thrashing around, jumpin all over the stage. The guitarist had a huge, bushy lion's-mane head of hair, and the drummer was obscured in shadow.

After the first two songs, which Frank knew all the words to, she decided that they were awesome and yelled over the throbbing music that she wanted to go closer. He grinned and grabbed her hand, dragging her through the crowds to the barrier. Her hand in his tight, warm grip made her heart jolt, and she beamed to herself.

Soon they were both thrashing around in the tiny pit and it was great- she hadn't been out of the house for something like this for a long time, longer than she cared to think about. She'd missed this.

When the set finished, the crowd yelled praise but didn't hang around. Frank grabbed her hand again and pulled her backstage to "meet the guys". There he introduced her to Joe the guitarist and Andy the drummer, but the singer and bassist were nowhere to be seen. Patricia mentioned this, and Andy laughed.

"Ooo, Patrick and Pete ar-" but Joe cut him off with a punch to his arm.

The four of them stood around chatting for a while, until the subject turned to guitars, which Patricia didn’t know much about so she just listened and watched Frank talk until Patrick and Pete arrived looking flustered. Patrick, who she took to be the lead singer, blushed impressively and stood slightly behind Pete, who handled the situation like it had happened countless times. Frank and Patricia figured out what had happened so they made their excuses and exited as quickly as possible. The second they got out of the stuffy room they both burst into laughter and started talking loudly about the gig.

When they stepped outside it was raining, but the kind of rain that soaks you to the bone in a couple of seconds. They ran to the car, and sat inside trying to warm up. For a few minutes, they sat in silence except for the chattering of teeth and shuddery breaths. Suddenly, Frank took a deep breath, and asked

"doyouwannacometomyhousetowatchafilm?" far too quickly to understand. "What?" She asked with a smile. "W-well I have lord of the rings and hot chocolate at mine and you said you really liked them so I was wonderi-"

"yes, Frank, I’d love too." Patrica interrupted with a smile. He grinned back at her, and put in 'plans', because she had said it was her favorite album by death cab for cutie, and drove away.


	3. confessions and showers

Before they went to Frank’s, Patricia decided to have a shower, so they went to her house first. Frank said he’d wait outside, and she just smiled at him and went inside.

So at that moment Frank was alone with his thoughts, which was almost never good for him. She was coming to his to watch over 9 hours of his favourite films, and they’d just been to their first gig together, which was a pivotal moment for Frank because they were some of his best friends and music meant a lot to him. They hadn’t kissed or anything yet, and when Frank first met her he had thought she wanted to, but she hadn’t made any move to show she did like him in that way. Even if she didn’t want that kind of relationship, they could still be friends right? He moved to turn on the radio in an attempt to silence the pessimistic voice whispering in his ear, but heard yelling from inside the house.

Worried, he looked up quickly to see the door flying open and Patricia walking out, yelling over her shoulder. She had a large travel bag in one hand, and several sketch books in the other. Frank couldn’t hear what was going on, but then a woman appeared at the door whom Frank took to be Patricia’s mom. She was yelling too until she caught sight of frank in her daughter’s car. Then she fell silent and slammed the door in her daughter’s face. Patricia ran over to the car and got in the passenger side and dropped her bag at her feet. Tears made tracks on her face, joining the rain drops, and Frank just wanted to wipe them away, hold her and tell her that he’d make it better. But after the scarf incident he didn’t really think she’d like that. They just sat there in silence for what felt like an eternity. She sniffed and wiped her eyes.

“You don’t have to tell me what happened” Frank said at last, turning to her.

“I will anyway, you deserve to know. But when we get to yours” Frank didn’t question her and just nodded, pulling away from Patricia’s house, turned the car around and headed for his home.

~*~

“Sorry about the mess, I haven’t had anyone over in ages.” Frank apologised, running a hand through his hair. He lived in the basement of a block of flats near the club where the gig had been.

“It’s okay, it feels really homely” said Patricia with a thin sort of smile. She ran a hand over her face- she hated to ask this, especially since it was Frank and...it was Frank.

“Can I use your shower? I didn’t get a chance to at home.” Frank blinked and nodded, then showed her where the bathroom was. She walked in and closed the door. It was a one person flat so there was no lock. Trying not to think to hard about this, she undressed and stepped in the shower.

After 5 minutes, there was a knock on the door. Hurriedly she pulled the shower curtain around the cubicle and said

“What is it?” She tried to calm her breathing.

"D-do you need me to d-dry your clothes?”Frank stuttered. Patricia sighed in relief.

“Yes, thank you” She heard Frank collect her clothes, but then he paused. He coughed and said

“Um do you want me to, um, wash your, um, your u-underwear because it’s, uh, kinda w-wet as well” Patricia blushed and tried to stifle a laugh.

“Okay, thanks Frank.” She smiled. She heard his footsteps leave and the door close, then started giggling to herself. He could be so adorable. He was adorable. She turned her mind from Frank and his tattoos and his eyes and his lip ring and his boyish grins and concentrated on her shower

~*~

Trying to keep his mind off the image of Patricia in his shower, he tidied up the lounge a bit, then made hot chocolate. He couldn’t stop running over having to pick up her underwear and put them in the dryer along with her other clothes, and how she had giggled when he stuttered over asking her if he should dry them. It took all his will power to keep his mind off thinking about her in the shower but his cock didn’t want to listen. She’d just had a fight with her mum for gods sakes, he did NOT want to be thinking her about her in this way. He blushed and threw himself down on the couch.

“Frank?” Frank was on the couch hugging a pillow and looking at the start screen of the first movie, but leapt to his feet. He walked to stand outside the bathroom and asked her what the matter was.

“Can I have my clothes back please?” He smiled like an idiot and nodded, before remembering that she couldn’t see him.

“I’ll just get them!” He called back, before punching himself for being such idiot. He dashed into the kitchen and grabbed her clothes out of the dryer and took them back to her. He awkwardly passed them past the door and when he felt her take them, he walked back to the lounge whilst desperately trying to push his image of naked Patricia out of his mind.

~*~

When she walked into the lounge, her turned to smile at her.

“Sorry, I look like shit without my make-up, I couldn’t be bothered to put it on.” Frank almost told her how he couldn’t give a shit, she was still beautiful, but he didn’t want to ruin it so he just shook his head and said “I don’t mind.”

She sat next to him on the couch and picked up her mug. Frank let her plan out what she wanted to say in her head, because he could understand that whatever she was about to tell him would be hard for her to say.

Patricia stared into her mug. She couldn't believe she was about to share this with Frank, she'd only known him for three days, but she had no idea where she was going to go now after that fight with her mom. She had no other friends, they'd all left or she'd pushed them away. If she trusted franks he could end up hurting him. Had he already been hurt? She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. Something in his eyes, maybe, or maybe she just had to release the words before they ate her up, but she began telling her story.

 

“I’ll start at the very beginning, to avoid confusion” she began. “A year and a half ago I was at a concert of this band who my friend was friends with. Me and this friend stayed afterwards with some others for a sort of after party. I was introduced to the band, and me and the bassist of said band soon got talking. He was into the same stuff as me, and we... we ended up dating.

"He was really sweet and kind to me at first, got me little gifts and stuff, he was very romantic. About a month into the relationship, he started threatening me. A month later, he hit me for the first time. I told no one as our relationship got progressively worse and he started to show a darker, evil side to him. He would” She paused, and closed her eyes for a moment.

“He would beat me if I so much as spoke to another person, tie me up and gag me." tears ran freely down her face now.

"After six months, I managed to run away. I lived on the streets for 3 days. I felt too ashamed to go home, and was afraid that was the first place he’d look. When I did, and told my mother what happened, she got him arrested. He got 10 years, I think, but I didn’t care to be honest. I was serevely  depressed. Well, I was depressed before that relationship due to bullying at school and my dad leaving my mum when I was 10, but it got a lot worse. I started to self-harm again, took lots of pills.” She gulped.

“Almost died twice. That really pissed off my mum, that someone had done that to me. that I had let them, helped them even. She became very protective of me, and so to please her, I just stayed at home mostly. I didn’t have any friends anymore, there was no reason to go out. So then when I turn up with you, my mum goes ape shit and protective of me obviously. She couldn’t believe I was putting my trust in another man, after what I and she had been through. I didn’t either, if I’m completely honest, I have only known you for three days.

"The last thing she told me was that if I was so sure that you were who you said you were, then I should go stay with you. And I said to her that I’d do just that. It was too late to back out by then.” She had dictated all this to the contents of her mug, but now she turned to Frank.

Her eyes were full of tears, and sadness, and...fear? Fear of him, or of these horrible memories she must be recalling? Frank was lost for words. He was angry, and shocked.

“Can I hug you?” He asked tentatively. She nodded and he pulled her into a hug. She buried her face in his shoulder and clung to him like he was the only thing stopping her from drifting into her terrible, fucked up past.

“Patricia.” He murmured, nuzzling into her thick, dark hair.

“You are so beautiful, Patricia. You can stay with me forever if you need to, I will protect you I swear, I would never hurt you I’d never even look at you again if that’s what you wanted. I will protect you.” He knew he wasn’t making much sense but he just wanted her to know, needed her to know that. he probably sounded like the biggest creep in the world, but he felt like he really knew her now. She'd just told him just an important part of her life, the courage it must have taken to tell an almost complete stranger that...

She nodded into his shoulder and held his shirt in a death grip. Frank was fine with that though, he would have held her like that for an eternity if that was what she wanted.

So they just sat like that for a while, she crying onto his shoulder and tears making black streaks down his face like raindrops. Eventually, they pulled apart and she smiled weakly at him. He just kind of laughed, but in a comforting way, and started the film. She rested her head on his shoulder and Frank put his arm around her. They didn't speak, but they didn't really need to.

40 minutes in she was asleep, so Frank carried her to his bed and laid her down. He tucked the blankets around her, and was about to go back into the lounge but then he turned to look back at her. She looked so tiny and vulnerable and beautiful in that moment that he just had to lie next to her. He had a promise to keep, a promise to protect her. So he snuggled under the blankets with her, to hold her in his arms. He planted a soft kiss on her neck before falling asleep with his arms around her.


	4. pasta kisses

Patricia opened her eyes sleepily. The first thing she noticed was the smell of Frank- like honey and salt water.

She realised that she wasn't in her own bed, and the memories of yesterday sprung back in full colour. She was fully awake now, and could feel the strong, tattooed arms around her. She turned over awkwardly, careful not to wake him, to see Frank.

He looked so peaceful when he was asleep, when awake he was a bundle of energy and words but now he looked completely calm. He looked like he never wanted to leave this place.

Patricia knew she should really be freaked out, she barely knew this guy. But after all she had told him she just felt like this was the most natural thing in the world. He had said he would protect her. He had called her beautiful. Frank had called her, Patricia, beautiful.

And now he had fallen asleep cradling her in his arms, protecting her, so she just lay there and let her mind wander. For once, she was happy to just drift through her thought, gently brushing Frank’s thick hair out of his face. She suddenly realised that she hadn’t had the nightmare, and smiled to herself.

After what seemed like an age, but was really only a minute or two, Frank opened his eyes with a sleepy smile. Then he saw her looking at him and panic lit his eyes, but before he could say a word she pressed her lips against his. They were soft, soft, softer than she’d expected and his lip ring was a contrasting cold against the warmth of his mouth. He soon deepened it, running his tongue along her lower lip. After a while he pulled away and grinned at her, now kissing down her neck, along her jaw, across her collar bone. She moaned softly, and he laughed against her skin, mumbling something. She wriggled down and lifted his chin again to kiss him, harder than before, more passionate.

Eventually, he sat up.

"As lovely as this is, its 7:30 and I'm hungry"

Patricia giggled and pecked his lips again, and again, smiling still, then forced herself to _stop_  and got up to go into the kitchen. Despite herself she was beaming, hugging her waist as she looked for food in the fridge. Frank unwound her arms from her waist and replaced them with his own.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” He murmured into her neck, his breath tickling her slightly.

“There’s no one I’d be more okay with than you, Frank. After what you said earlier, how you comforted me- no one’s ever said that to me before.”

“About protecting you?”

“No, calling me beautiful.” Patricia turned so she could look at him.

“You don’t sound like you believe it.” Said Frank, closing the fridge behind her. She didn’t look at him, just put her head against his chest and sighed.

“No” He said, tilting her head up so she had to look at him. “Don’t lie to yourself.” He planted a gentle kiss on her mouth, then turned to get some pasta out of the fridge.

~*~

Soon, they were settled down on the couch again with vegetarian tortellini to finish the first film and the others. They noticed they both sat cross legged with cushions when watching films, which just made them smile stupidly at each other and giggle like teenagers.

They managed to watch 20 minutes more of the film, slowly shuffling closer to each other until she had her head resting on the cushion in his lap, and he was playing with her hair. Patricia sat up and moved the cushion out of his lap, pausing the T.V. Slowly, she slung one leg over his lap so she was kneeling just above him. She ran her hands along his slim thighs, moving forward to kiss him open-mouthed.

He returned it eagerly, gripping her waist with his hands. She moved one leg to go in-between his and pressed against his slightly hard dick. He gasped and moaned into the kiss, moving one hand to grip the back of her thigh and the other to slightly lift her shirt. When she moved one of her hands to stroke his chest under his shirt, he took it as a cue to take it off. Before he could struggle with it, she leaned toward his ear to murmur;

“Let’s go somewhere more comfortable.”

Without hesitation he wrapped her legs about his waist and stood up, carrying her to his bedroom. He placed her gently on the bed and crawled over the bed so he was leaning over her. She lifted a hand to trace the patterns and art work on his arms, his chest, his back. Whilst he knelt up right, she explored his body with her hands, tracing the colours and pictures and words inscribed on him. She kissed over the guns on his back, the words on his knuckles, the bright colours on his arms, the hope flame on his chest. She kissed up his chest, over his collar bone and sucked on his neck, just below his ear. He groaned and ran his hands over her body, the waist band of her jeans, the hem of her shirt. She pulled away from the hickey on his neck and let him lift her shirt over her head, forgetting everything else except for Frank.

He ran his hands over her body, her arms, her waist, breasts. It was her turn to moan as her laid her down on the bed and ground his hips into hers as he kissed her. Suddenly, she sat up and moved away, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“What’s the matter? Did I do soemthing wrong?” He questioned, his voice surprisingly calm.

“I just...I don't want to rush this.” She sighed, resting her head in her hands. She felt stupid, ashamed.

“You’re right, I'm sorry, I just you were all-”

“It’s okay, Frank, honestly, I'm just not ready yet." Patricia replied, turning to look at him. Seeing the look on his face, she took his hand in hers.

“It’s not because I don’t like you, it’s the opposite. I don't know why, I just can't do this yet.”

“It's okay, I understand” He smiled, and passed Patricia her shirt. She saw him looking at the scars on her arms, an unreadable expression on his face. 

When she was dressed again, she stood up and went to go back into the lounge, but Frank enveloped her in a tight hug. Then he led her back to the couch and they curled up again on the sofa, her legs across his lap and head resting on the arm of the sofa. Frank hit play and they continued watching the film, eventually falling asleep half-way through the second film still tangled together.


	5. I will follow you into the dark

~three months later~

Patricia was walking toward the apartment she and Frank shared, weighed down by groceries. She'd just got back from work, and had stopped off at the supermarket since Frank had forgotten yesterday.

She struggled with opening the door for a minute, then stumbled down the steep steps to their basement apartment. Music drifted out from behind the door. There was nothing unusual about that, but she thought she could hear Frank singing as well. She fumbled with her key, eventually unlocking the door, placing the bags gently on the floor so as to not break anything.

Frank was sitting in front of the tiny table they used as a dining table, which was strewn with scribbled lyrics and biros. His acoustic guitar was in his lap, and he was singing. Not one of his own; it was ‘ _I will follow you into the dark_ ’, by death cab for cutie, and he was on the first verse. His voice rang clear through the air, his long colourful fingers flickering over the strings.

“ _I_ _f Heaven and Hell decide_  
 _That they both are satisfied_  
 _Illuminate the 'No’s' on their vacancy signs_  
 _If there's no one beside you_  
 _When your soul embarks_  
 _Then I'll follow you into the dark_ ”

He hadn’t noticed her by the door, so she stayed silent, leaning against the door way and listening to him. His voice flowed through the notes, shaping the words and sounds to strums on the guitar, that linked it together like a fine silver chain.  
  
When he finished, Patricia realized she had tears in her eyes. He was just running his fingers along the strings of this guitar. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, placing kisses behind his ears and along his jaws and down his neck.

“That was beautiful.” She said, her breath ghosting over his ear. He turned around and she clambered onto his lap. He met her lips over and over, trailing them down her neck and under her ear.

“I sung it for you.” He mumbled against her skin. She bought his mouth up to hers and kissed him fiercely, full of passion and want. The guitar fell to the floor with an ugly clash of sound, but neither heard it. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he lifted her, breaking the kiss to carry her to their room. He laid her down on the bed, but when he lay down over her she immediately flipped him over and ran her fingers under the waistband of his jeans as she kissed him just as passionately before, more so.

He pushed up against her and half laughed, half gasped at her dominance. This was what he loved- that she was so shy and timid but then for him she was dominant, forceful. She lifted his shirt over his head and kissed down his chest. He moaned softly and ran one hand over the sheets and one hand through her head. She popped the button on this jeans and he arched himself off the bed so she could pull them down. Then she pulled off her own top so she was just in tight jeans and a lacy bra and palmed him through his boxers. He gasped like a deprived teenager and bucked into her hand. She laughed, her voice husky with lust and kissed him again, open mouthed and wanting. She gently stroked his thighs and rubbed her own denim covered thigh against his crotch.

Frank liked to think he had a good memory. But every time they did this was better than the last, better than washed out memories. Patricia’s body, flush against his, their clothes scattered around the room. The sound she made when he touched her, kissed her. The feel of her eyes on his body like he couldn't ever stop looking. Patricia’s moans, she leaning back on the white sheets and pulling him down with her. The feel and taste of her under his hands and mouth, the whole warm length of her underneath him, over him.

He fell down and curled up next to her. She moved to rest her head on his chest, and he looked at her wrapped around him, and nuzzled into her hair. He rolled onto his side and then wrapped his arms around her. He pulled the sheets over the two of them and they immediately fell asleep, the lyrics

“ _If there's no one beside you_  
 _When your soul embarks_  
 _Then I'll follow you into the dark_ ”

drifting through his dreams.


	6. photographic limelight

Patricia opened her eyes and stretched, looking to her left as she did. Frank wasn’t there, but that wasn’t unusual. He always woke before her, so she wasn’t worried. Besides, she could hear him singing in the kitchen and could smell warm coffee.

Sunlight streamed through the small window near the ceiling where you could watch people’s feet passing by. She lay there for a few minutes, putting off getting up, but couldn’t resist the temptation of coffee and Frank. She pulled on some sweat pants and a shirt and wandered into the kitchen.

Frank was rocking his hips to his singing, stirring their coffee then twirling around to flip a pancake, and slide it onto a growing stack. When he turned again, he saw her leaning against the door way grinning and slunk over to her, still humming under his breath with a grin. He pecked her lips and rested his forehead on hers, planting a quick kiss there then handing her the coffees.

“Take these into the lounge, please.” He requested.

She grinned at him and said “Well good morning to you to.” She turned at walked away, set the mugs on the coffee table and turned to walk back into the kitchen to help Frank with breakfast. He shooed her out, saying she couldn’t cook for shit, which was true but she just wanted to steal extra pancake. She didn’t have to wait long before he bought in the pancakes and they both started eating.

“How come you’re in such a good mood?” She asked him. He just shrugged in return and smiled at her.

“We’re going to watch the guys after dinner by the way.” He told her.

“How’re Pete and Patrick doing?”

“Really good, they’re engaged.”

Patricia spluttered and choked on her coffee “Frank! why did you not tell me our best friends are getting married?!”

Frank patted her back and smiled. "Sorry, I forgot."

She just sighed at him and smiled. She’d have to talk to Patrick about that after the show tonight. They finished their breakfast, chatting about boring things like Frank’s new job at a record store and groceries.

When they finished it wass 12 so Patricia went to take a shower whilst Frank cleared up in the kitchen (she reasoned that he made the mess so he cleared it up). After a couple of minutes, she felt a warm hand on her back and Frank slipped in beside her, kissing her neck and shoulder. That shower took considerably longer than the one Patricia had been intending on having. Not that she had any issues showering with Frank- quite the opposite.

When they were dressed, Frank craned his head to look out the window, and commented that they should go for a walk. Patricia grabbed her bag, coat, hat, gloves and scarf, and made Frank put on the same because it was still autumn and still very cold even if it did look like summer outside. They walked outside into the cold Chicago street. They didn’t have to walk for long until they came to Frank’s favourite park, right beside the sea. They sat down on a bench looking out to sea and held each other’s gloved hands. They didn’t speak, but they didn’t need to. She snuggled closer to him, and he put his arm around her. It wasn’t long before he started to sing.  
  
When he finished, she reached up to kiss his jaw then rested her head on his chest again.

"I haven't heard that one before." She said.

"I know, It's one I've been working on." He drummed his fingers on his thigh and she could practically hear the melodies and music and memories swirling around in his head.

“Do you want some paper?” She asked. This was one of his favourite places to write songs and she knew that he wanted to write wahtever was in his head onto paper. He nodded, and she pulled a notepad and biro out of her back and leant against him as he wrote. She knew that he would show her when he was ready so she didn’t ask to see. After a while of him writing, she heard a polite cough above them.

She sat up suddenly and looked up to see a young man with floppy dark brown hair and a large, expensive-looking camera in hand. He looked very nervous as he asked “I saw you two sitting there and I’m doing my art course on relationships and music and I heard him singing and then he was writing and you two fit the project real well and I was wondering if I could take some pictures of you two I’m sorry it’s just you really fit my project please?” His words came out in a swift torrent, his fingers playing with the cord on his camera as he spoke. Frank looked up half-way through his speech and said

“Sure, do you want us to pose, or...”

“No no its fine just sit how you were before and ignore me, I’ll be super quick I promise.” Patricia decided to just go with it- her confidence had improved a lot since living with Frank and she wasn’t as bothered as she would’ve been before as he snapped away, talking all the while.

“My name’s Brendon, by the way, I’m originally from Vegas but I came here to do a photography course, also I have a friend who knows a band here, they might be able to get me a record deal or something. I’m really just doing this so I have something to fall back on if I don’t make it in music.”

Frank looked up at this point and said “Is the band Fall Out Boy?”

“Yes!” Brendon exclaimed. “Do you know them?”

“Yeah, we’re going to see them play this evening. Is the friend you have Ryan Ross?”

“Yeah! Do you know him too?” Brendon had a look of joy on his face- he had more energy than Frank.

“Not really, but I know he’s a friend of Pete’s, I’ve only met him once or twice.”

Brendon nodded, grinning, and continued to take photos. When he was done, he shook hands with both of us.

“Hey, maybe I’ll see you at the show tonight!” We both smiled and nodded, then he left, bouncing along down the harbour.

“Well he seemed nice.” Frank commented and Patricia giggled a little.

“Kind of a nut job, but yeah, nice.” She replied.

She checked her watch and found it was 5 o’clock, so they decided to go home. As they walked, Patricia asked Frank about what he had been writing.

“Oh, just dumb little things.” She raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything- she could wait. By the time they got to the end of their street, it had started to rain so they hurried toward their flat. They pulled off their coats and scarves, and Frank commented that he’d need a thicker coat for winter.

Patricia checked her phone to see three missed calls from her mother. She sighed, and Frank looked over her shoulder to see.

“What does she want now?” She muttered, unlocking her phone and called her back. Her mother knew where she was, that she was safe, and that she wouldn’t going to her house for the foreseeable future. Patricia seemed to be listening to patiently to her mother.

“Why are you telling me this? Why now?”

More silence.

“Yes, I understand that...of course. Saturday? Yeah, that’s okay....Frank is coming, yes. I don’t care what you think. I’ll see you then.” She hung up, sighed deeply and walked over to the calendar to write something.

“What was all that about?” Frank questioned.

“Next Saturday my mother wants to see me. Apparently we need to ‘talk’.”

“To be honest with you, I think you should, however much you don’t want to. I’m gonna be there too, so it’ll be fine.” Frank reassured her, pulling her into a hug and kissing her head.

“Do you wanna watch a movie?”

“Yeah, can I pick?”

“Sure, you know where they are.”

Patricia knelt in front of the cupboard where Frank kept all his movies, and browsed for a few minutes before selecting The Fellowship of the Ring and giving it to Frank. “Hey, the first film we watched together!” He exclaimed, grinning at her, then sliding the disc into his Xbox.

“My mother wants to meet us in the coffee shop where we met.” Patricia commented, hoping to sound absentminded.

“Cool, we haven’t been there in ages.” He smiled. Her heart still jumped a little at the ‘we’, even though they had been dating for almost four months.

“Hey why’s that bad? I loved that place.” Frank questioned, seeing the look on her face

“That place reminds me of who I was before you; lonely, depressed, angry- you took all that away. I now have you, best friend and boyfriend, Patrick and Joe and the others. I have real friends for almost the first time in my life, I’m happy. Truly happy, and although that place is lovely, it’s bittersweet because the old me wasted so many hours in there.” She smiled at him, and hurriedly added; “Bittersweet because it reminds me of the person I was before but also because I met you.” She pulled a sad puppy-dog put and fluttered her eyelashes. He laughed and pulled her head onto his shoulder.

“I understand.” He said into her hair. An hour in he got up to make some pasta, then they ate and realized the time and had to leave.

It was only a five minute drive to the club Fall Out Boy were playing at- this one was considerably larger than the first place Patricia had seen them. They were early, so they entered through the backstage entrance. Backstage was in a state of panic. Patrick caught sight of them and ran over.

“Frank!” He exclaimed. “We need a guitarist, Joe’s caught the flu and Ryan’s bought someone here on a date...” He caught sight of Patricia and his face lit up and they briefly embraced.

“You don’t mind if we steal him?” Patricia grinned.

“No, just return him in factory condition.” Frank laughed, and kissed her cheek.

“Go find Ryan, see who he’s bought.” Patricia nodded and hugged him, whispering a good luck in his ear. Then she turned and went back out onto the floor and leant against the back wall. People started to filter in not long after, and she caught sight of Ryan’s dark hair and headed for it.

“Hey Patricia, it's been ages since we've seen each other!” Ryan greeted her with a smile.

Before Patricia could reply, a voice next to ryan excalimed; “Hey! It’s YOU!”.

Brendon stepped out from behind Ryan and grinned at her. She laughed loudly at his shocked face.

“Wait, you two know each other?” Ryan asked, looking confused.

“Yeah, her and Frank were looking super cute on one of the benches looking out to sea and he was singing and then he started writing poetry or lyrics or something and it was perfect for my art project, so I took some shots of them oh yeah can you help me develop them tomorrow?” Brendon must have a hell of a pair of lungs, Patricia thought as Brendon released his torrent of words.

Ryan just nodded and smiled. Patricia glanced down and noticed how close they were standing, and realized that this was who Ryan had bought. She smiled to herself, and thought about Frank’s reaction. Then she remembered Pete and Patrick’s news, and made a mental note to remind them about it after the show. Soon after, the band came on stage and Brendon had grasped both Ryan and Patricia’s hands and was dragging them to the front.

Frank was standing to Patrick’s right, and he saw her grinning up at him and blew her a kiss. She laughed and pretended to catch it, then blushed when she saw Brendon looking at her. The band opened with ‘Dead on Arrival’, a favourite and Patricia was surprised to see that Brendon knew all the words- he must have been coming to their gigs longer than she thought.

However, she was soon distracted by Frank on stage. She had only ever seen him play on stage once, but that was for just one song- now he was really getting into it. It was beautiful. He was like a flame, a ball of energy, spinning and leaping and jumping around with his instrument. It was almost like- Patricia blushed at this- like watching sex. She could hear girls screeching at the back and grinned to herself, smugly. The next song was one of her personal favourites- Frank had supplied some of the lyrics, and she danced along to it.

“Thanks to everyone for coming, have a good night!”

Patricia, Ryan and Brendon cheered along with the rest of the crowd, then made their way backstage. Before she even saw Frank, he was on her in a flash. She squealed and pushed his hands away and murmured “later” into his ear before scolding him. He grinned darkly at her, and winked before squeezing her hand and turning back to the guys.

“You guys kicked ass out there!” Brendon exclaimed excitedly, bouncing on the balls of his feet and holding Ryan’s hand loosely.

“Hey, Brendon!” Frank and he shook hands. While the rest chatted, Patricia dragged Patrick aside she told him about how her mother wanted to chat. He was the only other person who knew about their argument apart from Frank. He hugged her and said that they needed to have a proper chat so they arranged for him to come round to her and Frank’s place to play video games with Pete.

When she and Patrick rejoined the group, Frank caught her eye and made excuses to everyone else, grabbed her hand and pulled her out. As soon as they got inside the car he was crawling over her, kissing her hungrily.

“You were amazing on stage Frankie.” She moaned as he sucked a sensitive spot on her neck. He grinned, his honey-coloured eyes dark.

He drove recklessly to their apartment and carried her inside. As he undressed her she said “Watching you play was like, it was like watching sex, sex personified, Frank.”

He just kissed her and laid her down, taking off his shirt and throwing it across the room. She popped the button on his tight jeans and tugged them off, letting them join the clothes scattered around on the floor.


	7. childhood tears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> very emotional. i wrote this listening to three cheers for sweet revenge and then plans at the end so you could listen to that, if you want. it's kind of short compared to the last one, but whatever. as always, enjoy.

~skip to next Saturday~

Patricia checked herself over in the mirror for the fifth time.

“Come on, stop stalling for time, we’re gonna be late.” Frank chided, gently steering her toward the door. “It’s going to be okay, honestly. I’m here.” Patricia just sighed in response and nodded, stepping out of the door and walking up the stairs.

She sat shotgun and took deep, calming breaths as Frank drove to the cafe. It would be fine. It would be fine. It would be fine. It would be fine. She repeated it like a mantra, over and over until they pulled up and saw Patricia’s mother in the window. Frank took her hand and kissed her temple briefly, and that gave her all the courage she needed. They walked into the bookshop together, and sat down opposite Patricia’s mother.

“Hello.” Her voice seemed different to Patricia.

“What do you want?”

“I just wanted to see how you and...” She looked at Frank with obvious distaste, but Frank just met her glare. She looked down.

“...Frank were doing. And to tell you some news I have. I don't want to fuck around here, so I'll just tell it like it is. I’m moving away.” She looked back up at Patricia. “I’m moving to Omaha, and I want you to come with me. I need you with me, Patricia, I want to protect you.” Patricia just stared at her.

“When did this happen?”

“A couple of weeks ago. I’m ready to go, I’m all packed up, but you’re coming with me.” Patricia sat up straighter. Frank’s grip on her hand tightened a little under the table.

“I am not going anywhere with you.”

“Come now Patricia, stop being a child. I’ve let you have your tantrum and your silly fling, but-” Patricia’s eyes flashed dangerously.

“Shut up, Lisa” She said with cold steel.

“Excuse me? You do not address me like that young lady.” Patricia’s mother looked shocked.

“I'll adress you how I want. I am not going with you to Omaha. With Frank, I’m happier than I ever was with you. I have friends. I’m not depressed or suicidal anymore. I have grown up, and will not be spoken to like a child.”

“How can you do this to me? I was here for you after Simon did those things to you, I got him arrested, what has this Frank done?” Patricia stood up but Frank pulled her back down and just squeezed her hand again.

“He helped more than you ever did. When your husband beat you, yelled at you, I spoke up, even though I knew the consequences. When he beat me, you pretended it never happened. You knew Simon was abusing me, but you did nothing until I ran away from him. I only realised this once I got out that hell hole of a house that you are a coward, Lisa, and no mother of mine.” Frank looked at the two women and the glares they were exchanging. He was still trying to process this new found information. Lisa looked like she was about to say something else but before she could, Frank stood up.

“I think it’s time we left.” Patricia stood up as well, and walked out. Frank followed her, but he felt a hand on his arm.

“Take care of her, please.” He pulled his arm out of her grip.

“Don’t tell me to do what I’ve been doing since the day I met her.” With that, he strode out and joined Patricia in the car.

Frank expected her to cry or something, but she didn’t. She just went into the kitchen and started making coffee. She used salt instead of sugar and almost dropped the mugs she was shaking so badly. Eventually she gave up, sliding to the floor and bringing her knees up to her chest, she curled her arms around them. Frank sat beside her and pulled her into a hug. It wa sonly then she started to cry; quietly at first, swelling to great, heaving sobs that seemed like they would tear her apart.

Frank thought for a moment. “Come on. I want to tell you a story.” He said. She let him pull her to her to her feet and sat with him on the couch.

“Once upon a time” Frank began “There was a little boy. He had 2 brothers, and a sister. When he was seven , his brothers, who were twins aged eight, took him and his sister to a river. His sister was called Lily, and she was just five. She had dark hair, bright blue eyes. They weren’t allowed there without an adult, but his brothers assured him and his sister they would be okay.” He gulped. “They played at the edge of the river. The bank of the river was very slippery and they boy was chasing his sister in a game of tag. She fell in the river. He jumped in after her. The river was deep and the current strong. He tried to reach her hand but she couldn’t reach him. There was a weir up ahead, and they both went over. Only the little boy survived” Tears were streaming down his face now, and sobs punctuated his sentences.

“Their mother has passed away just a couple of days after the twin’s birth, and although the father denied it he blamed them. His daughter was his favourite, and he made no secret of it. So when she died, he had even more reason to hate his eldest sons. He abused them awfully, bullying them and starving and beating them. One of them became seriously ill and almost died, but the neighbours managed to figure out what was going on and rescued them. The young boy had been completely ignored and was starving. None of them had been into school for 2 years. The father was put into prison, and the brothers were left homeless. The brother who almost died had been left mentally ill- he still thinks he’s eight years old. The other takes care of him. They live in Memphis now, where they grew up. Mikey gets real distressed if we try to move him anywhere else.” Patricia could barely make out his words for his sobs. She hugged him tight and he clung to her. His sobs were strangled, suppressed, like he was used to crying quietly. She was crying again now.

She rubbed his back gently, soothingly, smoothing away the memories. He cried so many tears she was surprised the apartment didn’t flood. It flooded her heart, her soul, with awful guilt and pity and sadness.

They just sat like that for a while, until Frank could speak. He didn’t speak though, he just let Patricia stroke his hair. He felt like kicking himself- he was meant to be the strong one. Almost as though she could read his mind, she murmured;

“You don’t always have to be strong. It’s not good to hold it all in, we both know that. We’re both pretty fucked up, there’s no such thing as ‘the strong one’ here.”

"Thank you.” He choked out. She just stroked his hair.

“I’m going to visit them on the 25th” Frank said.

“Of October?”

“Yeah, I always go see them around my birthday.”

“That’s only two weeks.”

“I know. You’re coming with me, right?”

Patricia gave a tear-soaked laugh. “Always.”


	8. flashing lights (part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i changed this one to it's full length so enjoy x

~24th October~

Frank watched Patricia change her outfit for the fifth time.

“Honey, it really doesn’t matter what you wear.” Frank said with a smile. He knew she wanted to make a good impression- this was an important meeting, after all. She finally settled on black skinnies, dark red doc martens, a death cab shirt and a leather jacket.

“Gerard will like that.” Frank commented, and she smiled nervously at him. They had decided to take the train to the institute where Mikey lived, and Gerard lived next door. He had been in the institute for a time, but had been deemed ‘safe’ to have his own place to live. He and Mikey were non-identical and only half-brothers with Frank; Patricia wasn’t surprised that Frank’s mother had had an affair considering the scum she’d married.

They walked to the train station since it was only round the block. It would take 10 ½ hours to get to Memphis so they were taking a 9 o’clock train and arriving in Memphis at 7:30am. It was already very dark and bitingly cold when they left the house. It was 10 to 9 when they arrived, so they sat around chatting for a while. Patricia was insanely nervous, but Frank reassured her, and encouraged her to get some sleep on the train. When the train pulled up, they made their way to their reserved booth. They both changed into their pyjamas and settled down in their bunks. The mattresses were lumpy and uncomfortable, and the flashing lights outside the window made it hard to sleep. After half an hour, Frank started snoring softly, so Patricia crawled into his bunk. There was barely enough space for one, let alone two, but she wriggled between his arms and legs and wrapped her skinny arms around him. She fell asleep soon after that.

She woke up at 4:07, sweating and shivering. She’d had the nightmare again. She only had the nightmare once a month, but she’d forgotten to take her meds and the unfamiliar surroundings had unsettled her.  
She felt eyes on her and turned to see Frank’s bright green eyes looking at her. He pulled her back down and held her.

“Dreams again?” he whispered into her ear. She nodded and curled her hands into his t-shirt, pressing her nose into his neck so she could breathe in his comforting smell. She fell asleep again to Frank rubbing small circles on her back and singing softly into her ear.

Frank woke her up, saying that the train was going to stop in 20 minutes. She said that it was 20 minutes but he reminded her that she had ordered him to wake her up 20 minutes before they arrived. She groaned and rolled out of Frank’s bunk, and he laughed.

When they were dressed and ready to go, they had 5 minutes before the train pulled up. Frank texted Gerard and he said he’d be waiting to pick them up. The train pulled into the station, and Patricia leapt up to fast and had to sit down again. “Have you taken your meds?” Frank asked. She shook her head and swallowed two pills dry, then Frank took her and in his and they walked off the train together.

A battered red Ford Anglia was waiting for them just outside the station. The man leaning against it was smoking a cigarette and had bright red hair. His jeans were leather- looking and dangerously tight with a black denim jacket and loose grey marled shirt. He looked around and saw Frank- his feminine face lit up in a grin and he strode toward Frank who in turn almost ran toward Gerard and they embraced. They had a quick, muttered conversation with Frank talking and Gerard mostly just nodding. Patricia hung back, unsure of herself, until Frank called her over.

“Hey, I’ve heard so much about you! Patricia, right?” She nodded, and shook his hand with a smile.

“I like your shoes. He commented, and Frank laughed.

“Yeah, they’re my favourite shoes” Patricia said “Docs are great, even if they are expensive.” Gerard agreed with a smile. Frank let her sit shotgun, and tried to listen to their talk of shoes and bands but kind of tuned out. He was glad they were getting along- he kind of knew they would, they were quite similar. He just looked out the window and watched the scenery pass by. It didn’t take long to get to the institute, especially with Gerard’s driving.

“Do you wanna stop at mine, or just go straight in?” Gerard asked them. Patricia shook her head, and Frank agreed that they should go straight in. They were just getting out when Gerard said

“Frank? The rings?” Frank nodded and turned to Patricia;

“We have to pretend to be engaged or they won’t let you in.” He looked calm, but Patricia could see the shake of his hand. Her ring was very simple, just a gold band inlaid with glass diamonds, but she still said it was beautiful. Gerard smiled softly to himself and lead the way in. The woman at reception greeted Gerard like and old friend, which Patricia supposed they were, and called a doctor down. He was one of Mikey’s two personal doctors, Dr Smith, but insisted that they call him Spencer (which Gerard did anyway).

“He can be a bit funny around strangers.” Dr Smith said of Mikey to Patricia. “We’ll let Frank and Gerard go in first, then they can invite you in when they think he’s comfortable.” They came to a halt outside a door that read the name ‘Mikey Iero’ on the front.

“Hey, I thought that was gonna be changed to Way?” Gerard said, furrowing his brow as he pointed to the name plaque.

“It’s being done tomorrow, Gerard.”

“They changed their names to their mother’s” Frank explained to Patricia.

“I don’t want any mark of that monster on me.” Gerard muttered, eyes stormy. He smoothed his features and smiled before going into the room.

“Just wait out here; I’ll get you in a moment.” Frank said, kissing her nose before following Gerard into the room. Dr Smith said he had some paper work to do, and that there was a red button in there if they needed to use it. It was only five minutes before Frank stepped out again, but it felt like an eternity. Frank had a huge grin on his face when he poked his head round the door and said “Come in!”

She got up and stood. She covered her nervousness with a smile and stepped into the room. Mikey was drawing on the floor with Gerard. There were crayons everywhere, and comics strewn across the floor.

"Hey Mikey, I’ve got a friend I want you to meet.” Frank said, gently touching Mikey’s back. He lifted his head from his drawing and looked up at Patricia. Frank sat down and crossed his legs, which Patricia took as a sign to do the same.

“Hey Mikey, watcha drawing there?” Patricia asked, shuffling only a tiny bit closer. He looked at it with a smile and almost yelled

“Superheros!”

“Who’s your favourite?”

“B-batman” he stuttered, looking at his drawing. It wasn’t that bad. “Who’s y-you favourite?”

“I really like Spiderman.” Mikey nodded fervently, and continued

“My brother Gerard wr-write comics!” Gerard smiled and looked down.

“They’re nothing really, just little stories to for Mikes...”

“Look!” Mikey shoved some paper in Patricia’s lap. She picked them up, and Mikey pointed out all the characters to her, with Gerard explaining the plot. Frank watched the scene. It was perfect. He crawled over to sit behind Patricia.

“Can you draw?!” Mikey asked Patricia.

“Yeah, I like to draw.”

“Patricia is amazing at drawing!” Frank emphasized. She smiled bashfully and looked down.

“Can you draw me a-and my b-brothers?” Patricia nodded. Gerard got a sketch book and pencils out of his messenger back and the three of them sat down. Mikey sat in the middle, with Gerard on his left and Frank on the right. Patricia knew that Mikey would soon get bored, so she quickly outlined the scene. As she had guessed, Mikey got bored of sitting still after a minute and grabbed a comic to read. Gerard and Frank scolded him, but Patricia laughed and said it didn’t matter. The sketch was hurried and uncoloured, far from perfect, but the three of them loved it. Mikey got some blu-tack out of a draw and tacked it to the wall above his bed.

Dr Smith came in 10 minutes later to the four of them building a lego tower with ‘r-real firing guns!’ that Gerard constructed. Mikey cried when they had to leave. He hugged all of them, even Patricia to Dr Smith’s, Frank’s and Gerard’s great surprise. They promised that they’d visit tomorrow, which calmed him down a little.

“Well I shall go to sleep now so tomorrow comes faster.” Mikey announced, without stuttering at all, despite it being just half past 12. He lay down in his bed and looked up at the picture Patricia had drawn him, and the three of them left and went round to Gerard’s place. It was the house directly next to the institution- it was very cheap due to it’s location, which Gerard said was perfect for a struggling artist.


	9. flashing lights (part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter focuses a bit more on Gerard I know but w/e, enjoy x

Dinner was Chinese take away, because Gerard didn’t have any food in and was a “shit cook anyway” he told Patricia. They sat on Gerard’s couch and watched Supernatural for a time, until Patricia asked to see Gerard’s art work. He smiled and nodded, showing her the way to his study. Frank stepped forward.

“Are you sure you wanna see this? Some of it’s really...”

“Intense?” Gerard offered, raising a dark eyebrow.

“Yeah, intense.”

“Its okay, Frank, whatever he’s drawn I think I’ll get it. I’ve done some pretty ‘intense’ pieces.” Patricia touched his arm and smiled at him.

Gerard looked at them briefly, then pushed open the door to the study. The room was enormous- it must have been the largest in the house. It was filled with art. Canvases stood on easels, leant against walls splattered with colour and doodles. Sketch books littered the two tables, and a small stack sat on a large, dark desk. An enormous bookshelf covered the back wall, which was filled with book on one side and records and CDs on the other.

“Sorry for the mess, I don’t like cleaning up in here unless I have to.” Gerard said, looking around the room. Patricia didn’t really hear him. She looked at the amazing array of art. One corner was filled with pictures of fantasy creatures, all on large canvases. Mermaids swam through both stormy and sunny seas, dragons curled in mountain caves and flew over amazingly detailed landscapes. In another corner were canvases and thick sheets of card covered with splashes of colour- dark reds, greys, blacks. There was a detailed picture of a window, but very abstract, with black taloned hands curled over the edge of the frame and all the colours too jagged, too bright.

One piece was a dark room with a faceless man standing at the doorway, looking down at a bundle of blood-soaked rags in the corner. She moved on quickly- she recognised a broken mind and unwanted memories when she saw it. There were some portraits next- mostly of Mikey, some of Gerard, and a guy Patricia didn’t recognise. The self-portraits were very abstract, stretched features and elongated limbs. She turned to Gerard.

“These are _amazing_ , Gerard. What kind of stuff do you sell?”

“Just bits and pieces really, these are mostly stuff that didn’t sell and stuff I didn’t want to sell. I haven’t done any in a while now, not much inspiration. That’s Bert, by the way.” He pointed at the guy Patricia hadn’t recognised.

“He was my muse for a few months, until things got violent. I kicked him out right after.” Patricia just nodded.

“It’s late” Frank broke the silence. “We should all go to sleep.” Gerard looked up with mild confusion on his face, but then his eyes were just full of sadness. He nodded his head and walked out. He pulled out the sofa bed in silence, then nodded at them both before stalking up stairs to his bedroom. Patricia changed into her pyjamas, as did Frank, lay down. She rested her head on Frank’s chest, and listened to his heart beat.

“Gerard doesn’t really have anyone, does he?”

“Of course he does, he has me and Mikey, and you now, since we’re engaged” Frank replied, wiggling his finger. Patricia smiled up at him, then turned her head to look back down.

“You know what I mean. Like we have each other, Pete has Patrick. Gerard doesn’t have anyone like that. I think everyone needs somebody.”

“What can we do about it?”

“I don’t know.”

Frank sighed. Patricia held Frank closer like she was trying to weld them together, and was asleep in seconds. Frank turned on his side to hold her better, and fell asleep soon after.

Gerard snuck downstairs to get his sleeping pills. He hadn’t needed them for a while now, but seeing Frank and Patricia in his home made him remember just how lonely he was. It drove him insane. He swallowed two pills dry, then turned to leave. On second thought, he turned and picked up the bottle. He took it back upstairs with him and hid it under his bed, writing some words on it in the half light. The pills were starting to take effect, so he lay down on his bed and rolled up his duvet, cradling it as he fell into a drugged slumber.

~*~

One milk for Patricia with honey, no milk two sugars for Gerard and one milk one sugar for Frank. The smell of coffee was one of Frank’s favourite smells. He carried Gerard’s to his study, but was surprised to find he wasn’t in there. He carried the red mug up to Gerard’s room and put it on his bedside table. He must’ve taken pills again, Frank though sadly. Too wake Gerard up, he pulled the covers off of him and threw them to the floor.

Gerard moaned and rolled over, scrabbling around for the duvet.

"Gerard" Frank whispered, and Gerard was suddenly very awake. he grabbed the comforter and wrapped it around himself, hiding.

"Gerard, you're wasting away."

He just pulled the blanket tighter about himself, hiding the protruding rib cage and hip bones, stick then thinghs and spine ridged like a monster rising out of the sea. He distantly heard Frank close the door as he left.

Frank grabbed his keys and coat, striding out the door. He didn't know where he was going, and what he was going to do, but he was too angry, too sad, to even think about it. Before long, he texted Patricia that he'd gone for a walk. He turned a corner and found himself at a super market. He knew what he was going to do, and walked in, small figure burning with purpose.

~*~

“I got soup which you just heat up in the microwave, noodles which are super easy, bread, crisps, jelly, peanut butter, and more coffee. Only the bread will go bad, so you have to eat that fairly quickly. The jelly will take a lot longer to go off.”

Frank dumped the bags on kitchen sideboard. Frank stared at Gerard and Gerard glared back, but eventually dropped his gaze and glared at the table like it was all the table’s fault. He and Patricia had been chatting quietly at the table until Frank had walked in and made this announcement.

Patricia watched the scene with bewilderment. Frank pulled the loaf of bread out and put four slices into the toaster.

“I am eating.” Gerard muttered.

"That is a fucking lie, Gee, don't lie to me." Frank filled the kettle with water and set it on the stove with a bang. Gerard flinched.

"Excuse me but what the hell is going on?" The two brothers looked at Patricia.

"Show her." Frank said, not looking at Gerard, who lifted his loose shirt.

Patricia was completely shocked. SHe stared at the angular, pointed bones almost cutting through the skin, the pale, dry, paper thin skin.

Frank took the toast and spread two with jam, and two with peanut butter. He practically slammed the plate down in front of Gerard, then leant against the side, breathing heavily. Gerard sat down and stared at the plate.

"Frank, you need to calm down." Patricia said, looking over at him. Frank didn't look back, just stared down at the linoleum floor.

"Gerard" Patricia looked over at him, and held his limp, bony hand. "We're going to get you help, okay? It's a wonder you're still functioning, you've lost so much weight. We should really take you to see Dr Smith right now."

Gerard traced the whorls and swirling grain of the table with one bitten nail, staring at it like it knew all the answers.

~*~

They left Gerard with Spencer, to make appointments and talk. Frank had calmed down, but was still quieter. Mikey didn't notice though. They had stayed with him longer that day, Frank always felt guilty about leaving him behind.

“What’s that Mikey?” Patricia asked, leaning over Mikey's shoulder to see his drawing.

“Lily.” Mikey answered shortly, but wouldn’t let Patricia see the drawing.

Frank looked up sharply. "Mikey." He said, firmly but calmly. He leapt to his feet and stamped his foot. He curled his hands into fists and looked down at Frank. It would have been a lot less frightening if Mikey wasn’t so much taller than them both. Frank slowly rose and took a step forward, looking up at Mikey.

At that moment, Gerard opened the door with Dr Smith behind him, and took in the scene in a glance. He walked calmly over to Mikey and stood in front of him, next to Gerard. Mikey sagged and seemed to shrink a few inches.

“Where’s Lily?” he asked in a shy, timid voice.

“Lily’s gone, Mikes.” Gerard soothed, taking Mikey’s hand.

“W-where has sh-she gone, Gee?” Mikey stuttered, lip trembling, fat tears beginning to roll down his cheeks.

“I don’t know, sweetie.” Gerard said, his own voice shaken. He pulled his twin into a tight hug. Frank looked on, and Patricia felt very helpless. Mikey reached out behind Gerard’s back for Frank, who stepped forward and held his brothers. They stood like that for a time until Mikey took a step back and sat down again heavily on his bed. He picked up more crayons and a paper, and began drawing again.

Soencer spoke up at this point, and told them visiting hours were over. Mikey didn’t have a tantrum like last time, he just smiled at Frank and Patricia, then hugged them each in turn. He gave them both a picture that he had drawn before they came over, and they thanked him. Then Gerard, Frank and Patricia left him to his scrawling and blissful ignorance.

“Does that happen a lot?” Patricia asked Gerard as she packed her and Frank's case. Frank sat in the corner, brooding.

“Not as much as it used to. Still sad though.” Patricia nodded and continued packing.

"What did Spencer say?" Frank broke the silence.

"We made an appoinment with a therapist, not my old one, she specialises in eating disorders and childhood trauma. That's next week. I'm going to see her twice a week, and he gave me a diet plan to help me gain weight."

Frank nodded and stared at the carpet. Patricia smiled and said that it was great he was going to get better and hugged him.

He drove them to the station in silence. When Patricia got out, Frank motioned for her to walk ahead, and told her he’d be there in a moment. She nodded, and walked few metres before leaning against a wall to wait. She could see Frank talking to Gerard and Gerard nodding, then talking for a time, then Frank talking for even longer. They embraced, then Frank patted his shoulder and got out. There were tears in his eyes when he walked over to Patricia.

“You were right, you know” He said “Everybody does need somebody, especially somebody like him.” 


	10. coffin doors (it's only a joke)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is complete now, enjoy x

28th October

The bitter-sweet scent of coffee woke Patricia. She opened her eyes to see Frank sitting on the edge of the bed next to her, with two mugs of coffee on the bed side table. She sat up and shuffled over to him, wrapping her arms around his bare chest and her legs around his waist. She kissed the crook of his neck and he turned around to kiss her properly. She probably tasted of morning breath but he just hummed against her mouth.

Eventually he pulled back and reached for his coffee. She did the same and bought it to her lips, before moving it away because it was too hot.

“You’re going shopping today right?” Frank asked. She nodded.

“With Patrick and Pete. We’re gonna buy Halloween costumes.”

“No birthday present?” Frank pouted his bottom lip.

“Of course sweetie, it’s a surprise though.” Patricia laughed, leaning forward to peck his lips. He smiled and kissed her back harder, moving his hand up her thigh.

“Sorry Frank, I’ve got to get ready, it’s late enough as it is.”  
He pouted again, but moved so she could get up and get dressed.

Pete and Patrick arrived at 11.

“How were Gerard and Mikey?” Pete asked, sitting at the island in the kitchen.

“They’re okay, yeah. Patricia made friends with Mikey, didn’t you?”

Patricia looked up and nodded, smiling. “He’s a great kid, loves his comics. And his drawing.”

The others nodded.

“Guys, we need to get going. Pete’s gonna take ages choosing anything.” Patrick said, and Pete grinned in agreement. Patricia kissed Frank good bye and told him not to trash the place. He said he wasn’t an animal and Patricia raised an eyebrow and laughed, kissing him again.

“Oh!” Frank gasped, catching on. He blushed impressively. “Shut up!” She laughed kissed him once more, secretly proud of making _him_ blush for once, then followed Pete and Patrick out the door.

~*~

Patricia leant against the wall and watched Pete and Patrick looking for outfits. She’d already chosen her and Frank’s costumes and payed for them, but these two were taking forever. It was mostly because Pete wanted some corny matching costumes for him and Patrick, but Patrick didn’t really want to get dressed up at all. They argued in angry whispers, Pete holding up some ridiculos costume and Patrick shoving it back with a firm _no_. 

In a sudden flash of inspiration, Patricia picked up an undertakers outfit and a vampire outfit and strode back over to the others. She handed the undertaker’s out fit to Patrick (it was really just a suit with long coat tails and a top hat) and the very extravagant vampire outfit to Pete. He grinned his boyish, impish grin and thanked her, before taking Patrick’s outfit and bounding away to the till.

“Thank you so much Patricia.” She smiled at Patrick, who looked thoroughly relieved. When Pete returned, he grabbed Patrick’s hand and began talking to him eagerly about fangs or face-paint of something, but Patricia knew Patrick wasn’t really listening and was just looking at his face. She knew because she did the exact same when Frank was trying to talk to her. She smiled to herself, and said

“Come on, we still haven’t got Frank’s present!” They looked up and around at Patricia, looking lost for a minute, then nodded. They set off toward the mall, discussing Frank’s gift.

~*~

When they sat down for lunch in Starbucks, they had bought Frank’s gifts and were now talking animatedly about the Halloween party. Ryan was hosting it, but it was also Frank’s birthday. As Pete was telling the other two how many people were coming and who they were, Patrick looked increasingly worried and Patricia stopped listening. She’d had another idea.

“Hey, do you know what’d be great?” Pete turned to look at her, as did Patrick. “We could invite Gerard along! It’d be a great surprise for Frank, and he hardly ever gets out of the house. He seemed so lonely when we visited him.” The other two nodded and smiled in agreement, and Patricia pulled out her phone. Gerard picked up on the first ring.

“Hey Patricia, what’s up?”

"Hi Gee, our friend Ryan is holding a Halloween party and Frank’s birthday party on the 31st and I was wondering if you wanted to come?” All she could hear was silence for a moment.

“Okay.” It seemed to take all his will power to say that.

“Cool! We want it to be a surprise for Frank so if you stay with Pete and Patrick...” Pete yelled a greeting down the line and she heard Gerard laugh.

“Okay, I’ll be there tomorrow. Mikey’ll be fine without me for a day or two, I’ll make sure Spencer can stay with him.” Patricia nodded.

“Okay man, see you soon!”

“Bye.” Patricia smiled at the other two. Patrick grinned, and Pete looked like he was going to explode with excitement.

~*~

When she got home, Patricia flopped down on the couch with a sigh.

“Hey babe, how was shopping? Did Pete and Patrick fight over costumes again?” Frank questioned.

“Again?”

“Yeah, they have the ‘costume argument’ every time Halloween comes around.” Patricia smiled smugly to herself.

“No, I solved that.” Frank raised a dark eyebrow.

“I heard Pete saying he wanted these matching batman and robin outfits, something really cheesy, and Patrick really didn’t wanna do anything like that and I just saw this undertaker outfit and was inspired. So I gave Patrick the undertaker’s suit and I picked out this super fancy vampire costume for Pete.”

Frank smiled and kissed her cheek. “You’re so clever.” He murmured into her ear.

“Don’t you wanna hear what I got us?”

“Oh yeah, show me.”

Patricia leant down and picked their costumes out of the bags. Frank gasped and ran his fingers over the old, vintage suit. It was a cream shirt with a waistcoat that had a swirling, Tim Burton-style pattern. The jacket and trousers were plain black, although wonderfully tailored. On the suit jacket, waistcoat and even the shirt underneath had a matching stab wound rimmed with blood. It came with a cravat, but Patricia had also bought a bow tie patterned the same as the waistcoat if he didn’t like that. He hugged the suit close to his chest and smiled like a little boy on Christmas day at Patricia. Then he picked up Patricia’s costume. A beautiful, white wedding dress, almost exactly like Emily’s from the Corpse Bride film. It came with a ripped and muddy veil, off-white gloves and a bottle of white body paint, along with a pair of neat, white, high-heeled boots. He threw his arms around her and whispered a thank you into her ear. He stayed there for a moment longer than usual and said “It’s going to be the best birthday, I can feel it.” She smiled at him and kissed him, pressing a hand on his chest. She knew how much this birthday meant to him, and was really looking forward to making it the best it could be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> omg i just realised how many P-names there are like why did i chose this. also patricia is the name of patricks mom o h


	11. pre-party tricks

30th October

Patricia awoke to a text from Gerard saying he’d arrived well at Pete and Patrick’s place, and that he wanted her to call him when she got this. There was a text and a missed call from Pete, dated at 4:07 and 4:11 respectively. Then a text from Patrick apologising for Pete, he was just very excited, ‘kinda like a huge puppy’ in his own words.

Patricia laughed, but quietly, since Frank was still asleep, which was unusual for him. They had stayed up very late last night. She lay on her side and looked at him sleeping for a while, thinking about the first time she’d seen him asleep. She remembered that conversation, that whole day, when her life had completely flipped over and inside out for the better. She remembered how shocked she’d been when she realized that she wasn’t the only person in the world who thought and felt such strange and awful things, how happy and relieved she’d been when Frank had promised he’d protect her. She thought about how in love she was with him. And she really was, there were no two ways about it. All of him. His music, his energy, his kindness, his immaturity, his hands, his eyes, tattoos, thoughts, his forgiving, generous nature. She knew that he felt the same about her too, which was very odd. To be so certain in the knowledge that somebody in the world had fallen head over heels for her, and that she for him. To think that Patricia was loved, well and truly and properly, by Frank. She smiled in her thoughts, and thought how peculiar it was that she could smile in her head again. As long as Frank was with her, she was pretty sure she could smile just about anywhere. Shuffling closer to him, she wrapped slender arms around his bare torso, entwined their legs together, and rested her head on his chest. She then immediately launched into a whispered dictation about the stream of thoughts she just had.

She felt Frank wake up- heard his breathing change, his body turn to fit hers more carefully. She spoke louder, and when she reached the conclusion of her speech, he kissed her head.

“I’d follow you anywhere as well, sweetheart. I’d follow you into the dark.” She smiled at his lyrics, their lyrics.

“You make me so happy, Frank.” Patricia said softly, pressing her cheek against Frank’s chest to listen to the comforting, repetitive thump, thump, thump, of his heart.

They spent that day mostly lounging around, relaxing in preparation for tomorrow. Patricia hid in the wash room and spoke to Gerard for a time. He told her that Mikey had been very unhappy that he couldn’t go as well, that’s why he had got to the Stump-Wentz household so late. He’d been able to calm down Mikey in the end with promises of photographs and a visit from Frank and Patricia. They arranged a date for that, then Gerard hung up.

Patricia then called Ryan to make some conformations about the party, and to tell him that Gerard was also coming. He said that was fine, and she heard someone talking to him in the background, to which he giggled and whispered something back. They said their goodbyes and Patricia rejoined Frank in the lounge.

He looked her over as she sat down and she really understood why people call it eye contact. They watched the first half of the deathly hallows, and half-heartedly agreed to get matching deathly hallows tattoos at some point. It was about 2 then, so they ordered pizza. When that was done, Frank wanted to watch the second half of the deathly hallows, but Patricia said it’s be better if they read to each other, so they did, from the part where the first movie ended.

It was 6 o’clock by the time they finished it. They ordered more pizza, and talked about the book while they were waiting. Patricia picked up a slice of pizza, but heard a soft, sultry voice in her ear that had Patricia throwing her slice back into the box and pulling Frank back in for a bruising kiss.

“Fuck this pizza,” she growled, tugging at Frank’s clothes.

Frank kissed her back breathlessly, desperately, tugging Patricia’s shirt over her head. She pulled him up from the couch and he picked her up bridal-style, making her gasp and smile up at him. He placed her on the bed gently and made to move over her, but she took his arm out from underneath him making him fall, pushing him up against the headboard so her thigh was resting against his hard dick and her hands were by his side. He stared up at her in shock and awe.

She kissed him fiercely, sucking on his lip ring, running a hand down his brightly decorated chest to rest on the waist band of his jeans. He moaned softly against her mouth and she pressed down hard against his hips with hers, leaning forward so denim rubbed on denim. He gasped in her mouth and rutted against her leg. She flicked the button of his jeans open and tugged his jeans off, resting between his knees. She palmed him through his boxers and gasped, his voice husky with lust.

“Now now please Patricia please I want... I...”

“What do you want, Frank?” Patricia murmured, moving back up to kiss and suck on this neck.

“You’re such a fucking tease” Frank gasped out, fumbling with the button of her jeans. She pulled them off and then leant across Frank to get a condom out of the nightstand. He ran his hands over her waist, her hips. She leant down to kiss him again, before handing him the small, foil packet.

~*~

31st October

Patricia and Frank sat on the bathroom floor in their underwear. They’d bought three more bottles of white body paint, and were helping paint each other. They kept giggling from the coldness of it and how dumb it was.

There was a slit up the side of Patricia’s dress and although there were netted tights to go with the dress, she still wanted to paint her whole legs. Frank only needed his hands, face and neck painting, so most of the paint was going on Patricia. Almost her whole body was coated in white paint. When they were finished, Patricia just stared at the whiteness of her skin. She looked like a ghost.

The next step was her blue wig- she plaited her long, dark hair tight against her scalp and pinned it down, and Frank fitted the wig over her head and smoothed the seams on it with more white paint.

“God, we’re putting in so much effort for this.” Frank commented whilst touching up the paint on her hands. She smiled.

“We’re gonna look freakin awesome though.” Frank grinned at her. He got into his suit whilst she delicately stuck on false eyelashes, blue shadows for her eyes and cheeks, thin lines for eyebrows and pale blue on her lips.

She defined his cheekbones and jaw with the blue powder, giving him a pointed, sharper features. She outlined his eyes in black pencil and held up a mirror.

He grinned at his reflection and kissed her forehead lightly so he didn’t spoil their efforts.

“You should do this professionally, you’re amazing at this.” Patricia blushed at his compliment, not that you could see her red cheeks all that well. She glanced at the clock on the wall.

“Hey it’s 7, we need to leave now and pick up Pete and Patrick.” She said, adjusting the veil on her head. Gerard had already made it to Ryan’s place- she figured he’d feel more comfortable if she met the host before the party started.

It took half an hour to drive to Pete and Patrick’s place, and another half hour to drive to Ryan’s, so to get there for 8:20 they figured they should leave around 7. Frank nodded and pulled his shoes on, grinning like an 8-year-old. She laced up her ankle boots and stood up. She was now the same height as Frank. They walked out the door, Frank putting both their phones and wallets in his jacket since Patricia had no pockets.

They sat in the car, and Patricia texted Pete to say they were ready and to NOT FORGET THE PRESENTS. He replied saying they were ready, and Frank started the engine. For a second, it didn’t move, and they both held their breath until the engine settled down and the car started forward. They both sighed and laughed it off.

Frank started talking, babbling away, his excitement turning his normally energetic self into the kind of energy found in exploding stars. They pulled up outside Pete and Patrick’s place and grinned at their costumes.

Patrick was really just wearing the suit and a pale face of make up with dark shadows under his eyes. Pete looked very made up, fake blood trickling from his mouth and amazingly realistic fangs crowding in his mouth. He was carrying a large bag of presents under on arm, but before Frank could see them he had hidden them in the boot of the car. Frank bounced in his seat and couldn’t stop grinning as he headed for Ryan’s The four of them chatting excitedly about the night ahead.


	12. it's only halloween

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> halloween party. read carefully, and as always, enjoy x

They pulled up outside the house. They were early, so decided to help Ryan with the decorations. Frank and Patricia walked up to the front door and knocked. Ryan’s house was huge- his parents were very rich. Brendon opened the door.

His skin was painted pale, rotten green with artificial blood and seeping wounds on this face and neck. His suit was ragged and cut, and his arms were ripped and rotting. He grinned at the two of them.

“Wow, you two look amazing! That’s so awesome, I love it!” He exclaimed. Frank thanked him with a Cheshire grin and complimented Brendon’s costume.

“How’d you do those wounds, they look so real!” Frank asked.

“Ah, Ry did them and then Ge-”  
“HELLO, birthday boy and his corpse bride!” Ryan exclaimed theatrically, appearing from behind Brendon, subtly kicking the back of his shin. He was also dressed as a vampire, although much more subtle. His fangs didn’t jut out of his mouth, and he wore a suit with a high collared-cape. His lips wore stained red and he wore orange contacts that made his pupils slits, like a cats.

They chatted about their costumes, then Pete and Patrick appeared behind them and yet more pleasantries were exchanged before they went inside.

The lights were turned very low, the main source of light coming from many candles, jack o’ lanterns and themed fairy lights around the room. Ryan always had sinister art work on the walls, but the lighting made the mournful faces and monsters look very realistic. Pete slipped away to hide the presents in the kitchen whilst the others chatted.

Suddenly, a shrill scream and a crash came from the kitchen. They ran in to see Pete leaning against the side board and a pale, thin vampire kneeling on the floor, cleaning up shards of glass and apologising profusely. He stood up.

“Gerard?” Frank exclaimed. Gerard grinned back at him.

“Surprise!” Frank hugged him, careful not to crumple his black suit with red waistcoat and exposed throat. Frank pulled away, huge grin still plastered on his face.

“How come you're here? It must've been really short notice.”

"Well, I didn't really have any other plans for Halloween. Besides, It's your birthday! Mikey wasn't too happy about it though." Gerard smiled, and it sparkled in his eyes. Ryan put the smashed glass in the bin and pushed away Pete and Gerard’s apologies, saying he had plenty more.

A loud ring on the door bell signified the arrival of more guests, and Ryan went to answer the door. Brendon dashed away to put the record player on, which Frank was soon admiring. Joe, Andy and two girls walked through the door. Joe was dressed a Yeti and Andy as a skeleton, their dates dressed the same. They all greeted Frank and wished him happy birthday, and took their gifts into the kitchen with the others.

Guests started arriving thick and fast, and soon the party was in full swing.

 _How could one person know this many people?_ Patricia wondered. She was leaning against a wall with Gerard, chatting quietly. They had to yell to be heard over the music, but stood away from the main thrum of conversation. Patrick had been standing with them until Pete had pulled him away to ‘socialize’.

Gerard said he was going outside for a smoke, and she nodded and let him go. She decided to find someone she knew. Wandering through the crowds, she spotted Patrick’s top hat, but saw he was pinned against the wall under Pete and walked away quickly. She felt a hand grab her’s and spun around to see a grinning Ryan Ross.

“Come dance!” he yelled over the music. She laughed and nodded.

“You had any punch?” She shook her head no and he passed her a plastic cup. She downed it in one and felt the alcohol buzz through her. Ryan pulled her to the dance floor which had been set up in a back room. Cobra Starship was blaring, and they moved to the beat, jumping and dancing. Brendon suddenly appeared, swaying and looking extremely drunk. He smiled crookedly at the two of them and almost fell over. Ryan caught him laughing, and pulled him up again.

Patricia felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Frank. He passed her a drink and she downed it again, then exclaimed;

“Frankie! My undead birthday-boy groom!” He giggled at her and pulled her away from the dance floor. They wandered upstairs, away from the music.

“God, I couldn’t hear myself think over that music!” Frank said, walking down a corridor towards the balcony that looked out over the garden.

“What time is it?” She asked.

“9:30”

She nodded and let the cool air wash over her face, cleansing her mind of the hot fug of downstairs. Frank suddenly started giggling.

“What’s so funny?” Patricia asked. In answer, he pointed to a tall sycamore tree.

“Look, underneath the sycamore, it’s Gee!” Frank said in an excited, hushed whisper. She looked to the tree and underneath she could make out Gerard with a werewolf. He had the werewolf pressed up against the tree. Patricia gasped and started giggling as well.

“Hey Geeee!” Frank called in a high falsetto. Gerard sprang back from his new friend and looked around wildly.

“Up here, sweetie!” Patricia called in an equally high voice. He looked up and glared at them, raising a finger at them. Frank and Patricia shrieked with laughter, and they saw Gerard turn back to the man helplessly. They heard the faint sound of the werewolf’s quiet laugh and, satisfied with their mischief, turned to walk back down to rejoin the party.

“Can we open my presents tomorrow? Or the day after? I don’t wanna make this party all about me.” Frank said on the way back.

“Of course you can.” Patricia took his hand in hers. She knew it was also because there were so many strangers here and he just wanted a few close friends there, but didn't need to say it. She thought about finding Ryan to tell him, but then thought that she’d rather not considering the drunken state he was in. Instead, she got another cup of punch and joined in Frank’s conversation with a Cheshire cat and a mad hatter.

At about 10:30 she spotted Gerard with his werewolf friend, and stumbled over to say hello.

“Patricia, hello, hello, have you met Oliver here?” she shook her head and smiled at Oliver, who smiled back shyly.

“You guys made friends then?” She smirked at Gerard’s blush.

“I’m gonna kill Frank. Later though, it’s his birthday, that wouldn’t be fair.” Oliver laughed quietly and Gerard squeezed his hand.

“I hate this pop shit, you wanna make a request?” Oliver said in a soft, measured voice. Gerard nodded and smiled.

“Ooo, I have a suggestion!” Patricia exclaimed. She grabbed Gerard’s hand and pulled him with her onto the dance floor. She dashed to the DJ and whispered in his ear. He nodded and she walked back toward them. A guitar beat struck up and a deep, slightly boyish voice played out

_I’m carvin’ pumpkins,_   
_It’s almost Halloween._   
_All my friends are wonderin’_   
_What they’re gonna be_

She heard Ryan yell and laughed. Gerard grinned and Oliver did too, baring artificial canines. She felt a hand snake around her waist and turned around to be faced with Frank, holding another two drinks. She drank hers all in one gulp and dropped her cup.

_Everybody scream!_   
_Everybody scream, it’s almost Halloween,_   
_Do the trick or treat!_

“Look!” Frank yelled over the music, and the other three turned to see Brendon and Ryan, along with some others, doing some crazy dance moves. She heard Gerard’s high pitched giggle and a loud yell of laughter from Oliver. She laughed too, and suddenly Frank was up there as well, leading the dance. When the song ended, she had a stitch in her side from laughing at his ridiculous dancing. He swaggered back over to her, and kissed her full on the lips. She giggled and kissed him back, open mouthed.

“No making out on the dance floor!” Someone yelled, and they both giggled before going back into the lounge. Someone had turned the music down in here and people were chatting quietly. They chose a couch and flopped down. Patricia lifted her aching feet onto Frank’s lap.

“I haven’t seen Patrick or Pete since the beginning of the party.” Patricia mused, slurring her speech only a little.

“Boo!” Whispered a voice next to her ear and she screamed. Frank burst into laughter and she craned her neck back to see Pete standing over her. He’d taken out his enormous fangs and had a very drunk, very happy looking Patrick clinging to his arm.

“You’re an asshole.” Patricia said laughing. He sat down on the floor in front of them, Patrick’s head resting on his thigh. He looked completely spaced out.

"It's odd." Pete commented, looking down at his fiance. "Normally him taking care of me." The comment hung in the silence for a moment or two, before Pete spoke again.

“Hey, did you see Gerard and his friend?” He asked with a sly smile. Frank giggled and nodded, Patricia too, smirking.

“Kinda cute, don’t you think?” Patrick looked up and went to kiss Pete’s cheek, but missed and hit his neck instead.

“I dissagree!” Patrick slurred. Pete laughed and shook his head.

“No one cuter than you, 'Trick.” Pete said, kissing the top of his head.

“I think I’m gonna take him home, he’s absolutely hammered.” Pete said, hefting Patrick to his feet. “Tell Ross why I’ve left so rudely.”

“Okay, thanks for coming man.” Frank said, hugging him with one arm, drink in the other. Patricia got up and hugged him as well and he left, one arm around Patrick and the other holding his hat.

“Hey, speaking of Gerard, I think we need to get him home. I don’t know how drunk he is.” Patricia nodded in agreement.

“I’m gonna call his mobile.” Frank dialled the number, and Gerard picked up on the third time.

“Hey Gee, where are you? ....oh right....so you won’t need picking up?” Frank said with a smirk. “Okay man, you have fun with your ‘Oliver’.” He went to hang up, but then yelled; “WEAR PROTECTION!” at the last minute. Patricia burst into a fit of giggles, as did Frank. They sat there for a few minutes more in comfortable silence.

“I wanna go home.” Frank announced suddenly, like a kid who got tired of standing around with the grown-ups.

“I don’t think parties are really our scene, are they?” Patricia commented. He shook his head.

“I had fun, I just... I just wanna go home.” She nodded understandingly.

“I’ll text Ry and Brendon so they know where we went.” He nodded dumbly.

“I’m tired.”

“I know, sweetheart.” She hugged him tight and kissed his temple, then stood up, pulling him with her.

“We’ll have to get a taxi, we’re far too drunk to drive.” He nodded again. Patricia texted the others as they sat on the side walk and Frank called for a taxi. They were home in 40 minutes, and as soon as they walked in they had quick (separate) showers and got changed into their pyjamas. They snuggled down and made a nest out of the duvet and fell asleep almost instantly.


	13. far from okay

_ring, ring_   
_ring, ring_   
_ring, ri-_

Frank fumbled for his phone in the half-darkness, cursing.

“Hello, is this Frank Iero?”

“Yeah, who is this?”

“It’s the hospital, your brother Gerard is here. He’s in a stable condition, but he asked to see yo-”

“Wait, what? The hospital?” Frank sat up in bed, staring ahead at the darkened room.

“Yes, you can visit now. We’ll explain in full when you arrive.”

“Okay, okay thank you.” Frank hung up shook Patricia lightly. She sat up immediately and, seeing his expression, asked;

“What’s happened?”  
“It’s Gerard, he’s in hospital, I don’t know what’s happened.” Frank was pulling on a t-shirt and cardigan, fumbling with his jeans. Patricia got up and pulled on her clothes. She leant over to kiss a now stationary Frank.

“It’s okay, what did the hospital say?” She asked, rubbing circles on his shoulders.

“He’s in a stable condition but I don’t know what happened.” He said, shaking a little.

“Don’t worry Frank, finish getting ready and I’ll drive us over there. Have you got a head ache? I have.” He nodded meekly and she finished dressing before going to get some aspirin. They took the medicine and left. It was a short drive to the hospital, but the two drove in silence.

As soon as the car was parked, Frank jumped out of the car and started walking over to the hospital doors. Patricia locked the car hurriedly and ran after him.

“Hello sir, what can we do for you?”  
“I’m Frank Iero, this is my girlfriend, we’re here to see Gerard Way?” The nurse behind the desk nodded.

“This way.” She lead the way to the ward where Gerard was- the hospital was still busy, although it was 6 o’clock in the morning. They turned a corner and suddenly there was silence, a stark contrast to the noise outside. The nurse pushed open the second door to the right and lead them into the room. There were four beds in the ward, just two occupied. Frank immediately walked over to the closest one and sat down heavily next to the figure on the bed. A cannula on the back of his hand dripped some kind of drug into Gerard’s blood.

His normally pale complexion was now white as a sheet, his eyes bloodshot and red hair soaked with sweat. He looked very small on the hospital bed, his ribs visible through the hospital gown. He was looking at Frank and Frank was holding his hand tightly. Gerard’s legs were wrapped in bandages and plaster up to his knees, and his whole left arm was also plastered. He had stitches over his fragile, protruding collar bone and on his thin-skinned forehead. Patricia moved to his over side and perched on the edge of the bed.

“What happened?” Frank whispered, voice shaking. Gerard smiled weakly.

“What you always warn me about, Frankie. I drove drunk, got into an accident. Drove out and smashed right into the back of a lorry, apparently. Both my legs got crushed by the engine, my arm by the steering wheel. The airbags blew up just in time, Oliver’d just had them replaced so they basically saved our lives.”

“He’s okay?” Patricia whispered. Gerard laughed and nodded, which ended in a coughing fit, which made him laugh more.

“Oliver’s fine. He’s got broken feet, he’s cut up pretty bad from the glass but he’s better off than me. He’s asleep now.” Gerard looked over to the other bed and sighed.

“It’s completely my fault, Frank. I’ve ruined his life with my stupidity, how could I be so fucking stupid.” He didn't even sound angry, just tired. Frank was about to come back with something else, but a nurse walked in then and Frank just glared at Gerard.

“Okay so I’m going to talk you through what’s happened, Frank and...”

“Patricia.” She supplied. The nurse raised a waxed eyebrow.

“Are you family? If not I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

“Please can she stay?” Gerard asked, his tone changing in seconds.

“I’m sorry Gerard but it’s against regulations. Could you wait outside for a moment? This won’t take long.” Patricia stood up and walked out, sitting in one of the chairs lining the corridor walls. She held her head in her hands. She couldn’t believe what had happened.

~*~

The nurse had to yell at her before she heard him. She looked up sharply and tried to focus on his voice. It sounded murky and muffled, like there was a wall of fog between them.

“I think you’re in shock, I’m getting you a blanket, I’ll be right back.” And he really was, like he’d never left. He wrapped a red (or was it orange?) blanket around her shoulders and gave her a square of chocolate. She took it and ate it with a shaking hand.

“What happened?” she looked at him blankly, then realised he was talking to her.

“A really close friend of mine, my boyfriend’s brother, in a car accident, he’s stable.” Her voice was riddled with tremours.

The nurse sat with her until the nurse came back out. She felt a lot calmer then, but also more worried, like the whole situation wasn’t just a film or a book and it was real and happening to her in real life.

Frank didn’t seemed to have moved, and Patricia moved to sit on the other side of the bed again. Gerard looked over to her and she smiled weakly at him. He felt for her hand and she took it.

“He’s got 2 breaks in his left calf, one in his right, lots of muscle damadge on both, all pretty nasty. He’s got a bad break in his arm; he broke his collar bone and 5 stitches to his forehead.” Frank informed Patricia.

“Sounds a lot worse when you put it like that.” Gerard muttered. Frank carried on like he hadn’t spoken, but Patricia noticed him squeeze his brother’s hand.

“He’s also got a break in his lower spine, which means that even if his legs do heal, they don’t know if he’ll walk again, and if he does-”

“Which will be a fucking miracle.” Gerard interjected.

“If he does, he’ll always need a crutch.” Frank finished, ignoring Gerard’s words. Patricia nodded and they all just sat there for a while in the silence. Patricia could feel tears on her cheeks but, again, she wasn’t quite aware of what was happening, like it was all happening to someone else. She felt a hand shaking her shoulder.

“Honey, we’ve gotta leave now. Visiting hours are over.” She nodded dumbly at Frank’s words and stood slowly. She kissed Gerard’s forehead lightly and walked out, dream-like, Frank’s hand in hers. Frank drove on the way back home, and when they got in they just sat on the couch, not talking or looking at each other.

“I can’t lose him, Patricia.” Frank whispered, all his anger gone.

“I know.” Patricia answered. “He’s gonna get better, and so will Oliver.”

“What about Oliver? What if he just leaves Gee?”

“We’ll talk to him, although Gerard probably will as well.”

“Okay.” Frank murmured.

“On the contrary,” Patricia said; “We’re far from it.” He moved to rest his head on her chest, and listened to her heart thump, thump, thump, thump, singing him to an uneasy, nightmare-filled sleep.


	14. broken bones and molten headaches

The next four weeks passed in a blur of work, hospital visits and visiting Mikey. They’d explained to Mikey what happened, omitting the drunk driving. Under very strict surveillance, he’d been taken to visit Gerard twice. He’d asked if Gerard was going where Lily had gone, to which Gerard had laughed and ruffled Mikey’s hair.

“I gotta while to go yet, Mikes.” He’d said with a grin.

Oliver had recovered rapidly, and was taking Gerard to rehab that Saturday. Frank’s shift at the record store he worked at clashed badly with the first session, so Patricia had offered to go, but Gerard had assured her it was okay with a shy smile that she’d never seen on his face before.

To keep herself occupied, she’d started working on a new project she was starting. When Frank got home from work, her hands were covered with paint, with smears of colour dotting her hair, face and clothes. She was stretched out on the couch reading a book, music blaring from the record player. Two paintings were drying in the kitchen, and many sketches were strewn about.

“Patricia, you need to clear up.” Frank said, kissing her temple. She moaned and marked her place with a folded page and got up slowly. He ended up helping her, and they chatted as they worked.

“What do you think to Oliver?” Patricia questioned.

“He seems genuine enough, and if he makes Gerard happy then it makes me happy.”

“When should Mikey meet him though? I wonder if he knows about Gerard’s eating disorder.” He’d been properly diagnosed with anorexia at the hospital and had regular counselling appointments, with a dietary plan to follow once he was discharged from hospital the following week. She knew he’d probably reject the plan and throw it away once he got home unless he was under constant surveillance.

“He knows about the anorexia” Frank said, interrupting her train of thought. “I asked Gerard and he told me that he and the nurse had explained Gerard’s ‘situation’ to him.” Patricia nodded.

“I hope this lasts between Gerard and Oliver. Like I said when we visited him, you know?” Frank hummed his agreement.

“I just want him to be happy, to be able to be happy, for once in his life. He’s had so much hardship, more than all three of us. At least Mikey forgot, I still have to live with the trauma but Gerard got the guilt and the most venom from that man’s actions.” Frank said, scrubbing particularly hard at a stubborn streak of red paint on the floor. Patricia knelt down beside him and kissed his temple, stroking his hair.

“I think it’s clean enough now. Wanna watch a movie?”

“Yeah.” Frank’s voice was almost a whisper.

“You go choose, I’ll make some snacks and coffee.” She pecked his cheek and stood stiffly up, pulling Frank with her.  
Ten minutes later they were curled up on the couch together, Frank’s head resting on Patricia’s thigh, her feet tucked underneath her and a hand lazily stroking Frank’s hair as the opening sequence to Star Trek: Into Darkness lit up their faces.

~*~

Life was looking up for Gerard. Well, he had been in an incredibly severe car accident in which he’d broken several bones and almost lost all movement in his legs, and he had been away from Mikey for longer than he could ever remember being. But that was like a breath of fresh air; Gerard would never admit that to anyone though. Now, he was staying with Oliver, being too ill and broken to travel, which Gerard wouldn’t stop telling people was the best thing to ever happen.

Initially, it’d sucked. Being watched constantly for his eating habits, never getting a moments peace, not being able to draw, not to mention Oliver was still practically a stranger. But he helped, was still helping, dealt with all Gerard's shit. He'd never stop being proud of the fact that he had plucked up the courage to talk to Oliver first. Or, rather, that he'd drunk enough. After that night, though, he had decided to make a real effort to be straight-edge. Apart from smoking, but that was still in consideration. After all, maybe he had something to live for now.

Right now, he was sitting in that first cafe with a coffee and Frank, Patricia and Oliver. He was still in a wheelchair, which was horrible and undignified and impractical, but as Oliver had pointed out, this would only give him more incentive to get better. He was clever like that. He was generally clever, one of the cleverest Gerard had ever met. He knew lots of little trivial facts about math and science and history.

Gerard wasn’t really listening to the conversation, just staring into his coffee, lost in his thoughts when he felt a gentle, long fingered hand on his hand. He looked up blankly and looked at Oliver’s dark, brown-eyed face.

“Gee we were just talking about what’s going to happen when you get better?”

“Oh, oh yeah, we got that figured out.”

“Well, d’you wanna tell them what we’re doing?”

“OH, oh right, okay, yeah.” Gerard turned so he was looking at the couple opposite them.

“We were looking at moving Mikey to an institute here, in Chicago, so I can stay here with everyone. We haven’t done anything yet, because obviously Frank” here he turned to face him. “He is your brother as well as mine and we need to decide together, along with Dr Smith, what is best for Mikey. I’ll understand if you don’t want him to be moved but I think it’ll be good for all of us to be together in one city again.”

Frank just stared at them with an unreadable expression. He smiled at them, then grinned his Cheshire grin. Patricia laughed softly at his reaction.

“Yeah, yeah Gee that sounds great! Have you looked at any places yet?” Gerard felt like he could collapse with relief. He’d expected Frank to yell at him, be mad at him, at least scold him for not telling him first and for discussing it with Oliver first.

He’d half expected him to disapprove of Oliver, him being the reason the crash happened at all, but he’d just welcomed him with open arms. They eagerly discussed different locations for Mikey, taking Patricia’s laptop out and searching for nearby hospitals. Gerard promised to call Dr Smith when he got home.

By now it was getting dark, and the cafe was closing. Oliver wheeled Gerard home- he only lived round the corner. Patricia was surprised they hadn’t met before when he told her that. She slid into the passenger side, and Frank got into the driver’s seat.

“Well that was interesting.” Patricia said

“Yeah, I’m so excited for them to be living here! It’s gonna be so great.”

“I was kinda expecting you to be more angry about it to be honest."

Frank shrugged “Well I was, but it is a really good idea and I don’t wanna spoil it for him. He’s finally happy and things are really looking up for him so the most we can do is help him with everything that’s happened and support him, right? Also, I thought he looked like he’s filling out a bit. His arms don’t look so thin anymore.”

“Oliver is definitely good for him.”  
“Yeah, I agree.”

They drove in comfortable silence after that, each thinking their own thoughts. That’s really when you know that someone is your best friend, that you can trust them, Patricia thought. When you don’t need to fill silences with words, when you can just be comfortable in the knowledge that they are there and feel the same. She smiled to herself.

They stepped out of the car into near pitch-darkness. Patricia took her phone out to use as a torch, and shivered even under her jumper, coat, thick socks and scarf. Frank wrapped an arm about her waist and they walked down the steps and into the apartment, flicking on lights as they went. It was now 8, so Frank cooked some pasta and tomato sauce out of a packet and turned on the T.V.

They sat close together on the couch, cross-legged with a cushion in their lap and the plate on top of it, a trick Patricia had picked up from Frank. She mentioned this and Frank smiled at her, his lip ring just catching the light. She reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind his ear.

“You need a haircut, it’s getting really long.” Frank shrugged and snorted in dismissal. She tutted at him.

“I’ll get Ryan to do it.” Frank didn’t care about getting hair cuts or dentist appointments or anything, but he’d moan when he needed anything like that and hadn’t arranged it. She put her empty bowl on the coffee table and leant her head on Frank’s shoulder, tucking her feet underneath her.

“You done with that?” She asked, nodding to the few scraps of food in Frank’s bowl. He nodded and she moved it to join her own bowl on the coffee table. He wrapped an arm around her and held her close, his head nodding and eyes closing every few seconds.

“Can we go to bed? I’m real tired.” He yawned, stretching. Patricia nodded and got up. When they were clean and warm under the bed covers, she rested her head on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her, gently stroking her hair as they drifted off to sleep.


	15. winter blur

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> really big chapter with lots of cute and wintery and romantic things so yeah, enjoy x

That winter passed in a blur. Patricia’s birthday was a small affair, just dinner with Frank, Pete and Patrick; Christmas was a gathering of all their friends at Ryan’s house with turkey and presents and the smell of cinnamon and pine and oranges; Pete and Patrick married at the beginning of January, on the anniversary of their meeting. A small affair, in a field just outside of the city, with just their group of friends and Patrick’s family- Pete didn’t really get along with his family, especially since he was snow marrying another man.

Gerard was doing great- still skinny, but not dangerously so. He walked with a pair of crutches now, which Oliver had made for him out of hazel wood. His hair was now a subdued dark brown, with pastel green at his temples and ends. He said it was symbolic of a new era in his life, and Oliver just laughed at his stupid philosophical metaphors.

Brendon and Ryan had a record deal with their band, since Pete had created his own record label with Joe. Come February, Patrick and Pete had moved into a bigger house, and were discussing adoption. Mikey had transferred to Lakeshore Hospital, with his personal doctor. There was no hope that he could be discharged from specialist care, but he seemed to be enjoying his new setting. Gerard visited him twice monthly, Frank once a month.

Frank now managed a local record store, and Patricia had recently done an exhibition of her latest work, a series of supernatural pieces on large canvas picturing different sorts of angels, spirits and demons. On the 25th of February, snow was still thick on the ground and the park looked beautiful. The bare branches of the trees wear weighed down with their loads of snow, their booted feet crunching through the stark, white ground and the sounds ringing through the air. Their hands were tightly clasped in woollen gloves, swinging gently as they walked.

“Where are we going?” Patricia asked for the fifth time.

“Just wait.” He replied, a small smile tugging the corners of his mouth, the red of his lips contrasting sharply with the cold silver and pale skin of his face. His scorpion tattoo on his neck stood out, almost completely concealed by a thick orange scarf and tartan trapper hat. They walked on through the park for a while longer, until they came to a line of benches in front of a clear patch of ground. Frank stopped walking and turned to Patricia. There were other walkers passing them, each on their own errands, coming from somewhere and travelling to somewhere else, as always.

“Do you remember when we first came to this park? About two weeks after we met.” Frank asked her.

“Yeah, you bought me a blueberry ice cream, you had... chocolate, right?”

“Yep. And I had my guitar with me, and I sat on this bench here and sang?”

“Uh...yes?” Patricia wondered where this was heading. Frank grinned, seeming to be enjoying the game immensely.

“Do you remember what I sang to you?” Patricia racked her brains, searching for the song.

Out of the corner of her vision, she saw two walkers stop and take of their hats. She turned to look at them. One had leapt onto the bench, the other was holding a guitar.

_I’m sleeping my way out of this one,_

_With anyone who will lie down,_

_I’ll be stuck fixated on one star,_

_When the world is crashing down,_

Brendon’s voice rang out strong and clear from the bench, Patrick’s fingers flickering over the strings on the guitar. Frank grinned at Patricia’s dumbstruck face. A few pedestrians had gathered around to look at the scene.

_I keep telling myself,_

_I keep telling myself,_

_I’m not the desperate type,_

_But you’ve got me looking through the blinds_

Patrick and Brendon’s voices rang out over the park, and Frank knelt down and slipped a small, black velvet box out his pocket, his Cheshire grin lighting up his face, eyes twinkling. He opened the box to reveal a small golden ring, inset with tiny diamonds. Patricia stared at it disbelievingly, then looked at Frank, then at the ring, then back at Frank. He stood up slowly, and took one hand in his own, the other still holding that box.

“Follow me into the dark?” He whispered, just loud enough for her to hear.

She nodded, smiling tears streaming down her cold cheeks. He tugged off her left hand glove and slipped the ring onto her finger. A perfect fit. She nodded again, laughing now. He pulled her into a hug as Patrick and Brendon’s song came to an end, and the small crowd that had gathered cheered. Brendon bounced around bowing, and Patricia clung to Frank. He kissed her, laughing into her hair. She felt another pair of arms around them and realised Brendon was hugging them as well, then Patrick’s arms were around them as well. They all broke apart, and Patricia noticed that Brendon was wearing a pale blue suit, his coat and scarf discarded on the ground.

“How long have you been planning this?” She asked Frank.

“Since we met.” He winked at her, making her laugh and blush; STILL after all this time, he still made her blush.

“With these two, since your birthday.” He added.

Brendon nodded eagerly and Patrick smiled, running a hand through his hair.

“It took us ages to decide the song, Brendon had all these crazy ideas for fireworks and a boat-” Patrick began, but Brendon interrupted;

“It would have been totally awesome, I had all these plans but these two were spoil sports.” He pouted.

Patricia laughed and slipped her now gloveless left hand into Frank’s glove. He giggled and moved his hand around so each finger of the glove had one of Frank’s and one of Patricia’s fingers in. Patrick packed up his guitar and Brendon picked up his coat and scarf, refusing to put them back on because this was his favourite suit and he didn’t want to further crumple it. Brendon and Patrick left to go back to their warm, snug homes and Patrcia and Frank made their way slowly back home, chatting and smiling in the snowy park.

“Love you, Frankie.” She said, leaning against his arm.

“Love you to.” He replied, planting a kiss at her temple.

~*~

The snow had all but disappeared by the end of March. Patricia and Frank had agreed a date, 14th July that summer. They were moving house, a four bed terraced place near the park where Frank had proposed. They didn’t have much furniture of their own in the flat at the minute so Patricia was working part time as a librarian to try and get enough money for all the costs of moving. Frank’s record shop had opened another branch and he was working late hours doing paper work for both shops. One night, a week before the move, they were both sitting in the lounge working. Patricia was painting a smaller canvas of a cat, and Frank was scribbling away at a stack of paper with a calculator to his left. She was taking a sip of her coffee when she felt hands go around her waist and felt Frank slide down behind her on the floor. She leant back against his chest, idly tracing the tattoos on his hands.

"You know what I've always wanted?" Frank asked, breathing in the sweet apple smell of her hair

"What?" She asked.

"A cat." Patricia laughed loudly, and turned to face Frank.

"You want a cat?"

"Yeah, whats bad about wanting a cat?" Frank pouted.

"Nothing, I was just surprised to hear it." She pecked his lips and wriggled closer to him

"Can we look at cats tomorrow?" Patricia giggled against his neck.

"Frank, we can't buy a cat now, we can barely afford the house and-" He silenced her, covering her lips with his and wrapping an arm around the back of her neck. She returned it, pressing her body against his before pulling back.

"I'm serious, we can't get a cat now." 

"Please?" Frank looked at her with big puppy eyes and jutted out his lower lip. She sighed.

"Look we'll get a kitten as soon as we're settled in, okay?" His face broke into a huge grin and he hugged her. She laughed at how dumb he could be and said she was going to make some dinner. He nodded and sat back down to work, his face a mask of concentration. Patricia opened the freezer and took out a pizza. Neither of them could cook very well. 

Whilst the pizza was heating in the oven, she moved to the doorway and silently watched Frank work. When he was concentrating, he would frown just a little, and keep pulling his lip ring into his mouth and fiddling with it. She though it was adorable. The pinger for the oven went and Frank almost leapt out of his skin, whipping around to search for the noise. He saw Patricia watching him from the doorway, one hand held to her mouth, trying to stop the giggles from escaping. Frank stood up and frowned at Patricia, which made her burst out laughing. She turned and ran into the kitchen to take the pizza out before it burned. She'd barely placed it on the side when Frank bounded in after her. He snatched up four slices and ran back out with the box as a plate. She took the lid of the box and put the remaining four slices on it and followed himback intot he lounge with a sigh. She didn't even know how this habit of using the pizza box as plates had arisen- probably out of their combined laziness. She sat down heavily on the couch next to Frank. He grinned at her and pushed his head against her shoulder. She laughed and shoved him back lightly, before turning on the T.V.

The next few weeks were hectic, a crazy blur of form filling, funiture moving, buying and decorating. It was finally completed at the begginign of April, and they had dinner with Gerard and Oliver to celebrate. They went to a small Italian place just round the block, and talked late into the evening.

"Hey, you know me and Patricia are getting a kitten?" Frank said suddenly in a moment of silence. Gerard raised an amused eyebrow. 

"My sister breeds cats!" Oliver exclaimed, smiling at Frank. They were soon engaged in an animated conversation about cats, and arranged for Frank and Patricia to go look at the cats next week. Patricia reluctantly agreed.

At the end of the evening, when they were walking home, Patricia found herself walking beside Gerard.

"So" He said, lighting a cigarette. "You and Frank talked about kids yet?" Patricia choked on air at those words, and Gerard laughed softly, stopping to pat her back.

"You okay?" She nodded. He waited for her to answer the question.

"No." She croaked out at last. Gerard nodded. Patricia felt very inadequate and awkward. When they reached their house, they said goodbye to Gerard and Oliver and went inside. Patricia thought about saying something to Frank about Gerard's question, but decided against it. A kitten was enough for now, plus they were getting married in just three months, they still had all that to plan and think about. No, not yet. A conversation for another day, perhaps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i figured out how to do rich text so this chapter and future ones will be laid out and punctuated a lot better than previous ones.


	16. kitten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i know this is probably super boring i mean, buying a kitten isn't exactly thrilling right? oh well, its kinda cute right? whatever. enjoy x

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also the pictures if you combine them its what the kitten looks like?? sorry i couldn't find a more accurate image i'm just super lazy. also i like cats

 

Patricia and Frank pulled up outside the address Oliver had given them the week before. It was a large, comfortable-looking house on the outskirts of town, with a pretty front lawn and a sign outside advertising it's business. The sun was shining, with only the faintest whisper of cold in the early morning air. Frank got out the car and bounced up down in his excitement, eager to go inside. Patricia smiled at him and grabbed the cat carrier they'd bought last week out of the boot of the car, and walked with Frank up to the front door, knocking three times on the red-painted wood.

A young-faced woman answered the door. You could instantly see the resemblance between her and her brother- the same dark hair, wide brown eyes and sharp cheekbones set in a tan face.

"You must be Patrcia and Frank, right?" She said with a smile.

"Yeah, thanks for having us come see the kittens at such short notice." Said Patricia, shaking the woman's hand.

"Come in, I'll show you them." She turned around and walked into the house, Patricia and Frank following.

"I'm Hannah, by the way." She said over her shoulder as she unlocked a heavy-looking oak door. Patricia and Frank followed her into the room.

The walls were painted a milky cream colour, making the room appear even larger than it already was. Light streamed in from large windows, softly depicting eight spacious pens along one wall. Another row of pens stood in the middle of the room- they were all empty. Tiny meows filled the air.

"Now these" Hannah gestured to the first five pens "Are all 6 weeks, the other three litters are 7 weeks." 

"Oh wow look at these! They're so pretty!" Frank was leaning tentatively over the wire wall of one pen of bengals. The kittens eyed him curiously and their mother glared up at him. Hannah laughed and joined Frank at the pen.

"Yes, pure-bred mother and almost pure father. $585 each." Patricia coughed slightly and wandered father down the line of pens. She did not want to spend all the money she'd set aside for the kitten on the actual kitten itself. Her eye was caught by a mix of all kinda of kitten in one litter. One had a tortoiseshell coat, one was completely black with faint traces of leopard-like rosettes, on was a grey tabby and the last was albino. Hannah stood next to her- Frank was now cooing over a litter of midnight-black kittens.

"Ah yes, these are a funny lot. All kinds in there- russian blue, bengal and rag-doll on the mother's side, forest cat and burmilla on the father's side." The mother of the litter was enormous, but not fat with it- streaks of blue grey riddled the mottled leopard rosettes on her silky coat. Her bushy tail was curled about her, elegant head resting on delicate paws as she eyed the two women warily. 

"Aw that ones cute!" Frank suddenly appeared at Patricia's shoulder, and pointed at the tortoise-shell kitten. His fur was long around his face and on his shoulders, tawny and streaked with brown, black and grey. His were legs long and gangly compared to his brothers and sisters. He had the same fiery orange eyes as his mother.

"You think they're all cute." Patricia said, poking his rib. He coiled away and grinned childishly. "You're like a kid in a candy store."

"Do you want one of these?" Hannah asked. "I mean they're obviously not as pure as some of the others so they're cheaper, but that also means they're harder to sell. It's sad that a lot of people only want them for their heritage. I've priced this litter at $400, they've all had their jabs and injections." Patricia nodded along, smiling.

"What do you think Frank?" She asked him.

"I still like the one with the orange eyes." Patricia looked back at him. He was play fighting with the albino kitten, until he realised he was losing and leapt behind his mother, before ambushing his sibling when they'd relaxed. Frank giggled.

"You sure you want that one?" Patricia asked with a smile.

"Well, do you like that one as well?" He asked, looking at her.

"Yeah. Yeah, I do."

"Do you want me to take him out?" Hannah asked. Frank nodded eagerly, and Hannah smiled at the pair of them. "You can wait outside if you like. There's some chairs in the hall outside." They nodded and thanked her, then walked out, Frank almost skipping.

Patricia sat down on a leather love seat, and Frank sat right next to her, blabbering about how cute their kitten was and what he wanted to call it and how he was going to spoil it rotten with toys. She smiled and nodded along. She had to admit, she was nervous- she'd never had to take care of anything before, except for that one time Frank got sick but that didn't really count, did it? A warm hand enclosed hers and squeezed gently. She turned to look at Frank.

"It's gonna be fine, honest, don't worry. We're gonna be great parents." He smiled happily, and Patricia giggled. 

"He's not a baby, Frank." Her stomach did a funny flip at that, and she remembered what Gerard had said to her.

"What if we did have a baby?" Before Patricia could reply, Hannah opened the door again. She was carrying a small bag of food in one hand, along with the top of a zip-lock bag, and the cat carrier in the other.

"He loves these things." She said, holding up the top of the zip-lock bag. Patricia laughed a little. A pair of orange eyes stared fearfully out from the darkness on the carrier. Frank took the carrier from Hannah whilst Patricia wrote out a check. They thanked her one final time, and Hannah gave them her card, along with a vet's card. When they went outside again, it was raining, so they had to dash to the car. Frank held the carrier on his lap and stuck one finger, calloused from guitar and bass playing, through the caged door on the carrier and let the kitten gnaw on it.

"Doesn't that hurt?" Patricia asked.

"Nah, it just tickles a bit, he hasn't got proper teeth yet." Frank replied, smiling fondly at the kitten. They pulled up outside their new flat 50 minutes later, after Patricia had accidentally driven to their old flat. She carried in the food and Frank carried the kitten still in his carrier. Patricia put the food in the pantry and added 'cat food' to their shopping list. She walked into the lounge where Frank was lying on his belly next to the carrier. he sat up when Patricia walked in.

"Do you wanna open it or can I?" He almost whispered. Catching the solemn mood, she whispered back;

"You do the honors." He gave her a nervous smile and unlocked the cage. they sat back and let the kitten step out. He sniffed their hands, before becoming entranced with Patricia's fluffy cardigan. She was lying on her side, and the kitten leant against her stomach, purring. She giggled quietly and tentatively stroked his tiny head. He pushed his head up against her fingers and purred louder.

"He purrs really loud." Frank commented, watching the pair of them intently.

"Yeah." Patricia said, resting her head on her hand as she stroked down the kitten's back. He lay down and curled against her, still purring with eyes half-closed.

"He must be worn out from travelling and stuff." Patricia half-whispered, still stroking him. Frank placed some cushion under her head so she was more comfortable, and leant against the back of a chair, running his fingers through the thick rug.

"You're so beautiful." He said, still in a half-whisper as though he might disturb the scene. She smiled at him, and reached out for his hand. He shuffled over so he could take her hand and leant against the sofa. they sat like that for a few minutes.

"I'm gonna move you to the bed, okay?" Patricia nodded sleepily and carefully picked up the now sound asleep kitten, and Frank curled a hand about her waist to support her as she walked up the stairs. She lay down on their bed and he took her shoes off, tucking the duvet about her but so the kitten wasn't covered. He sat on the edge of the bed and watched them fall back asleep. He didn't think he could ever get over the fact that Patricia really was here, his, that she wasn't just a figment of his imagination. He would never, ever regret going over to the shy girl in the bookshop ever, as long as he lived. He wanted to continue the conversation he'd started waiting for Hannah to bring them the kitten, but didn't want to wake them. Tomorrow, or the next day, when they were all settled in. 


	17. a cigarette between your teeth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy x

"I gotta name for the kitten" Patricia said, wandering into the kitchen where Frank was making some kind of pasta.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. I think Augustus is pretty cute."

"Like Augustus Waters?"

"Yeah"

"He been reciting poetry with a cigerette in his mouth then?" Patricia giggled and hugged Frank from behind.

"No, I just like the name."

"Okay."

"You like it?"

"Yeah. Agustsus Iero. I like it." She kissed his neck and he ran a hand over her arm, stirring pasta still.

"Where is he by the way?"

"Just waking up. I'll take over this and you go see him, if you like."

He moved away from the stove and Patricia moved to take her hand out of his grip, but he held on and kissed her hand. She laughed and flicked his head.

"Go on, dumb ass." He grinned and left the kitchen. She heard his footsteps going up the stairs and smiled to herself as she heard his voice faintly talking to Gus.

~*~

"So." said Frank, inturrupting Patricia's train of thought as she stared intently at the screen of her laptop.

She was sat in her favourite chair, empty plate at her feet. Turning her battered old laptop to show Frank the screen, she said;

"Which table cloths do you think for the wedding? I like the lilac but the cream one is really pretty as well."

Frank leaned forward and shut the lid of the laptop, then sat back, Augustus curled in his lap.

"So." He said again. Patricia smiled.

"So what?"

"What we were talking about at Hannah's."

Her smile weakened "Oh." She put the laptop on the floor.

"You do want kids right?" She looked up to look at Frank. He looked nervous, and worried, like he was scared she'd fly away at any moment.

"Yes, of course I do, but I don't wanna think about that right now. We've still got the wedding to plan and that's just going to be more stress, especially with a growing kitten under our feet all the time." Frank nodded

"So when?"

"Well you can't really set an evening for that kind of thing can you?"

"Yeah but when?" 

Patricia stood up "Why are you so eager to know? God first you want a kitten now you want a baby jesus christ Frank!"

"Hey, hey calm down." Frank stood up and steeped toward Patricia standing just in front of her. Tensed shoulders and curled fists shook and she glared at her feet. He pulled her toward him and held her, letting her relax against her.

"What's up?" He sat down on the couch and she fell down next to him, so close she was almost in his lap, her head resting on his shoulder. She sighed deeply, and Augustus wriggled into her lap.

"I'm just kinda stressed, thats all." 

Frank nodded, stroking her hair.

"About the wedding?"

"Yeah, we still haven't booked the venue yet, we need to write gift cards, buy or rent the dress, food, after party-"

"Shush, shush, it's okay, it's okay. We'll get it all sorted, okay?" She nodded into his shirt and he kissed her head.

"It's only 8:30, what time is the venue office open 'til?"

"9 I think."

"I'll call them now, okay? You just sit here with Gus." He kissed her head once more then stood up and looked on the laptop for the number. Patricia half-listened to him as he spoke, dragging a zip across the couch absent mindedly. She hated to lie to Frank, but she really wasn't sure if she could handle having a child. What if she did something wrong? What if she didn't love it? What if she screwed everything up? Everything was going so well, too well. Something was bound to go wrong soon, her life had been so shitty, how could it get this better for this long?

A sharp nip on her finger brought her out of her thoughts and back to the present, where Augustus was gnawing on her thumb. She pulled it back and poked his stomach, and he attacked her hand until she lifted him into her lap to calm him down. 

"Okay, okay thank you... yes, yes we will. Okay, bye." Frank put his phone on the coffee table and sat back next to Patricia.

"I booked it for the 15th, the 14th was fully booked, at 4 pm. The ceremony is still in the hall, like we agreed, and then the field out the back is going to be all decked out with a stage and a buffet table and chairs and tables and all that. I rented that until 11, but we can leave before that, then we go collect everything the day after. And we don't need to book a band, Patrick said that his band would play for us and I think Brendon wants his band to play as well so that's sorted. I'm so excited for this!" He took her hand and gripped in both of his own, kissing her. She smiled into it and curled a hand into his hair, her thoughts from before shut away, forgotten for now.


	18. something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can you hear the sound of wedding bells? enjoy x

The next two months leading up to the wedding were hectic. Augustus was growing fast but still needed constant attention, both a blessing and distraction for them both. Frank was busy with his record shops, although it had gotten a little better since he hired an assistant on Patricia's insistence. 

Patricia woke up to her phone alarm buzzing. She dragged her fingers across the phone to turn it on and fell back onto the bed. The spot next to her was cold, and she panicked for a moment, before remembering that Frank was staying with Pete to get ready for the wedding.  _Her wedding._  She sat up and grabbed her phone to check for texts- just one from Patrick telling her he was coming over with Ryan. She didn't actually have any female friends so her and Patrick had just sat in and chatted for a while. She didn't get dressed, she'd only have to take it off again, so she just pulled on some joggers and Frank's t-shirt. Augustus had wondered in by now, mewing for his breakfast. She giggled at him pawing at her leg and picked him up, carrying him to the kitchen. She'd just set Gus's breakfast when the door bell rang.

Ryan and Patrick were standing at the door, Patrick holding a pair of tuxes and Ryan a small suitcase of hair product and make-up. They grinned at her and congratulated her, hugging her one by one. Ryan set his bag down on the dining table and immediately squatted down beside Gus, cooing at him. Patricia giggled at him and sat down next to Patrick at the table.

"How long do we have to get me ready?" She asked.

"Well everyone will start arriving there at 4 and it'll take 40 minutes to drive there and it's 11:30 now so..." He counted of the hours on his fingers "About 3 and a half hours I reckon."

"So plenty of time for Ryan to fawn over Gus."

Patricia grinned and looked over at him.

"I'm gonna make some coffee, you want some?"

"Yes please."

Patricia got up and walked over to the coffee machine getting down three mugs.

"You want any coffee Ryan?"

He looked up from staring at Gus and nodded. He stood and sat at the dining table with Patrick.

"Are we still doing that last style for your hair with the forget-me-nots?"

"Yeah, yeah that was my favourite." Patricia replied, spooning sugar into the coffee and stirring. She bought the three mugs over and sat down, Gus jumping into her lap and poking his head over the table to eye the guests.

~*~

Patricia sat in front of the mirror, watching Ryan's long, clever finger weave her dark hair into two loose French plaits that wrapped around her head to finish in an intricate knot at the back, small blue flowers woven in to braid. She'd done her make-up already- natural and simple, with only a little eyeliner and pink lipstick. Small gold studs adorned her ears, along with a matching gold necklace which had been Ryan's grandmothers, but he was lending it to her. However corny it was, she kind of liked the idea of that old wedding rhyme. So she had the blue flowers, the old necklace-

"All done." Ryan said, inturrupting her thoughs, stepping back to look at his handiwork. 

"It's great Ry, thanks." She smiled happily up at him and he smiled shyly back.

"Better get that dress on now, it's 3 o'clock."

She nodded and lifted the dress off the bed, going into the bathroom.

~*~

Frank stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his tie for the thousandth time. He took the wedding vows out his pocket and read through them again, muttering under his breath. Gerard leant against the door way and looked at him.

"Frank."

He jumped about 3 foot out of his skin when Gerard said that, and turned to look at him.

"Frank, calm down. There's nothing to be anxious about." Frank just sighed and sat down on the back of the couch. They were at Oliver's, waiting for Oliver to finish getting ready so that they could go. 

"You won't stumble or stutter, you'll both say 'I do' because you're a typical as fuck cute couple and then you'll go skipping into the sunset. Okay?"

Frank smiled a little and said a quiet "Okay", just as Oliver walked out of the bathroom. He wore a simple black tux with a deep purple bow tie and lilac shit underneath. Gerard grinned over at him and pecked him on the lips.

"You look lovely, you're gonna show up the bride."

Oliver giggled and blushed a little.

Frank stood up and walked over to the door, feeling a lot more confident than before.

"Come on you lovebirds, we gotta wedding to go to."

The registary clerk was a man called Ray, who managed the second record store. Mikey fidgeted beside him, holding Gerard's hand in his left and the rings in his right. The few guests present sat talking in their chairs, and Frank cast his eyes over them. No family- Patricia had emailed her mother to no reply. It still kind of pissed Frank off, but in a way he was happy she hadn't come. Today was about him and Patricia and he didn't want anybody to ruin it. He checked his watch again- 4:05. He began tapping his foot to a song he'd been writing, and was about to turn to say something to Gerard when the doors at the end of the hall opened. All words were taken from him and he just looked at Patricia. She smiled at him nervously and the music began to play. She walked slow, in beat to the music, never breaking eye contact with Frank. The white trail of her dress made a faint rustling behind her, a bunch of white tulips held in front of the laced up corset about her waist. She stood next to Frank, and they smiled warmly at each other.

"Patty looks real pretty." Mikey whispered to Gerard loudly. He laughed and replied.

"She does, Mikes." 

Patricia smiled at Mikey and he grinned back. Frank just looked ahead and beamed.

When it came for them to say their vows, they turned to each other. Frank took Patricia's hands in his own, and she put her tulips on the floor next to her. Gerard nudged Mikey forward and he passed Frank Patricia's ring.

"Thanks Mikes." He said, then turned back to Patricia.

"When I first met you, Patricia, my life was so dull. I was getting by, sure- just finished collage, in a place of my own, an okay job, friends. But it was plain, ordinary, just a reflection of what it could be. And then, I walked into that book shop and you were sat over there with your coffee and your laptop, and I stopped by. The best coffee stop I ever made. I know I'm not great at this kind of thing so I'll end with this; you are my best friend in the entire world, I love you from the bottom of my heart, and I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with this beautiful angel I've been given for a wife."

He slipped the ring onto her finger and squeezed her hands gently. She smiled down at the ring and then up at Frank.

"Your turn." He whispered with a smile, and she nodded, laughing a little. 

Mikey passed her Frank's ring with a very young looking smile. She'd never get used to the fact that she looked up at him rather than down.

"Thanks" She smiled back at him and he settled back to Gerard's side, rocking a little and holding his hand tightly.

She turned back to Frank, sniffing back tears.

"I did have a long speech planned but in this state I can't really read it so" She chuckled a little and wiped her eye. "So I'll just say a little. I was broken, when I was in that coffee stop. Torn at the seams, cracks in the windows. Still living with my shitty mom, moping around, not feeling physically able to pull myself out of that state. And then you came along, and you fixed me. You stitched up the seams and fixed the windows. And the ones you couldn't fix, you made me feel okay about. For the first time in my life, I'm really properly happy. All because of you."

Frank sniffed and smiled, breathing deeply.

"So, Frank Anthony Iero, do you take Patricia Joy Serrano to be your lawfully wedded wife?" Ray said.

"You really think you need to ask me?" Laughter rippled through the hall.

"Just legalities."

"Okay then I do."

Ray turned to Patricia. She felt so nervous and shaky, but in the best way. As though her entire existence had been leading up to this moment.

"Patricia Joy Serrano, do you take Frank Anthony Iero to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do." 

Ray grinned and said; "You know the drill, guys."

Patricia laughed and leaned forward, but he swept her down full bridal style and kissed her. She felt like she would explode from all the emotions inside of her.

He pulled her back to her feet and handed her the flowers. He gripped her hand tight and she felt the cool metal of his ring there. Grinning, she waited for everyone to walk out, nodding to them when they glanced back at her.

Gerard took Mikey out and they signed the necessary documents with Ray.

"Thanks man." Frank shook hands with Ray.

"It's okay. Congratulations, both of you."

"You should stay for the party!" 

Ray shook his head. "No, no, I wouldn't want to intrude or anything"

"Honestly, it's fine, there are loads of people there all ready." Patricia assured him.

"Okay, I didn't really have anything planned for today and the store is shut so yeah, okay" He smiled at them both then went outside. Frank and Patricia were left alone.

"Ray seems pretty cool." She said, her voice seeming loud in the silence.

"Yeah" Frank said. "Hey do you like this ring?" Frank wiggled his left hand at her.

"Look, I've got a matching one!" Patricia held up her own hand.

Frank took her left hand in his and held it like it was a baby bird.

"Maybe we should get married then."

She giggled and poked him, before tugging him outside. 

They ran down the wide echoy corridor holding hands, giggling at each other. They turned a corner and the wide double doors leading onto the field were wide open, everyone standing there and holding confetti.

"Congratulations!" The shout was deafening, and they were throwing the confetti at them, tiny blue flowers, fluttering down about them.

Patricia turned around and threw the tulips behind her into the small crowd, hearing Ryan's triumphant yell. She laughed and turned around to see Ryan looking at Brendon with puppy eyes, holding the bouquet. Brendon was glaring at him a little, but then just smiled and laughed, kissing him.

"Come on, come on, I'm hungry!" Frank said, leading the way to the buffet table.

the rest of the night was a blur of drinking, dancing and eating. There was a small platform just in front of the stage, and they danced to _I will follow you into the dark_  for the first dance, quietly swaying to Patrick's voice singing their song.

They left at 10:30. Patricia was surprised he didn't want to stay longer- she certainly did. They snuck out quietly, Patricia too drunk to notice Pete winking slyly at them from the stage.

She didn't remember how they got home but they did. As soon as they got in the door she was pulling off he jacket and tie, up against the wall, kissing him. He unhooked the corset and pulled down the zip at the back. She moved down his neck, kissing and sucking on his now exposed collar bone.

"Yo-you wanna do this now? I thought, I thoguht we were gonna pack first or-"

"Shush, we'll pack later. Plenty of time, later, later." She murmered, moving back up to kiss his lips again. He fumbled with her dress, finally shrugging it off of her. She stepped out of it and stepped away to fold it over the back of the couch before grabbing Frank's hand and shut the bedroom door behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PRANK IS CANON


	19. hey moon, please forget to fall down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mE AND YOU, SETTING IN A HONEY MOON, IF I WOKE UP NEXT TO YOU  
> IF I WOKE UP NEXT TO YOU
> 
> enjoy x

Frank tugged the coveres of Patricia and she groaned, trying to pull the covers back over her head.

“Frank what the heck? What time is it?”

“3am, come on.”

“Why, where are we going?”

“You know I said I had a surprise for the honeymoon?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, this is it. Just get up and come with me, honest. You need to pack.”

“We should’ve done that when we got home.”

Frank smirked. “Well you had other plans.”

Patricia grinned to herself and sat up, trying to rub last night's make-up out of her eyes.

“I’ve got an awful headache.”

“I'm not surprised. I’ve got some aspirin, here.” Frank passed her a glass of water and two little pills, which she swallowed gratefully.

“Go have a shower, you smell” He said, planting a kiss on her nose. “I’m gonna finish packing, I’m already dressed. You don’t need to dress nice, just a sweater and joggers or whatever.”

“Okay,  _husband._ ” She grabbed some jeans, a band shirt, and a sweater before going into the bathroom. When she was getting dressed, her eyes got stuck on her forearms and she lifted them up. There were only faded dark lines there now. She ran her hand down her arm, resting eventually on her ring finger, now complete with two gold bands. She smiled at her reflection and got dressed, brushing her teeth and applying eyeliner. 

When she came out of the bathroom, Frank was sitting on his case with his guitar in a case next to him. Patricia's suitcase was lying open on the bed.

"I packed yours, but you can go through it to see if what I packed is okay."

Patricia rifled briefly through the case, tossed her make-up bag in and closed it.

"It's fine. Can you tell me where we're going now?"

Frank grinned at her.

"Nope."

His phone 'ping'ed and he looked down at it.

"Our taxi has arrived."

"At 3:30 in the morning?"

He shrugged. "It's a 24 hour service."

She picked up her suitcase and Frank's guitar.

"Come on then." She smiled.

He leapt up of his suitcase and picked it up, kissing her cheek then heading for the door.

~*~ 

Patricia fell asleep on the way to the airport, and stumbled through the almost empty terminal in a half-asleep stupor. Because of this, she woke up on the plane and started to panic when she was sitting up-right on a plane. 

Frank took her hand and she remembered that they were going on their honeymoon and smiled to herself. She looked over at Frank to see him reading. 

"What are you reading?"

"The Catcher in the Rye."

 

"I swear to god you've read that a thousand times."

"Probably about that." He said with a smile.

She sighed and reached into her own bag for her book, ' _Mortal Engines'_ by Phillip Reeve. Frank glanced at the cover.

"That a new one?"

"Yeah a bought it two weeks ago but with the wedding and Gus I didn't get a chance to read it. Who's looking after Gus by the way?"

"Ryan and Brendon so I reckon he's in safe hands."

"Unless Ryan smothers him in cuddles." Frank chuckled and smiled, looking back at his book. 

"How long of this flight do we have left?" Patricia asked.

Frank looked at his watch. "'Bout an 5 hours."

"WHAT." Patricia glared at Frank.

"We're going to the UK." Patricia just stared at him

"I cannot believe you, Jesus Christ." She held her head in her hands.

"What's the matter?"

"Frank you should've told me we were travelling so far, especially out of the fucking country!"

"Okay, okay calm down please," A couple of other passengers had turned around to look at them. Frank glared back at them, then turned back to Patricia and took her hand. "Patricia, it's okay. I've been planning this for three months, it's all under control. We're only going away for six days, it's going to be amazing."

She scowled at him, but didn't move her hand.

"It's lovely that you did this for me, for us, but you should just tell me next time, okay?"

Frank sighed in relief and grinned at her. "Okay."

Patricia eyed him for a couple of seconds, then turned back to her book to lose herself in somebody else's adventure.

~*~ 

The six days there were amazing. They had a huge hotel room and did all these corny tourist's tours on Frank's insistence. They rode the London eye, but it was raining so they couldn't see much. They went up the shard, and they felt like they could see all of London. The random weather changes did take a little getting used to.

They rode down the Thames and saw the houses of parliament and the clock tower, went to Trafalgar square and had tea and cake in an old-fashioned tea shop. Patricia bought so many clothes she had to buy another suitcase- Frank had been building a nest egg by taking a portion of his wages and putting them in a jar hidden in the boiling cupboard for months, apparently. 

On the last day, their flight left at noon so they hadn't planned anything- the airport was only an hour away including traffic so they had plenty of time to pack. Frank woke up at 8:30 to a cold, empty spot beside him. He sat up, worried, and looked around the room.

"Patricia?" He called, getting up and moving toward the bathroom.

"Don't come in!" A weak cry came from behind the door.

"Why? What's happening?" The door opened and Patricia leant against it. She was pale and shivering a little. He pulled her into a tight hug, half holding her up. Stroking her hair gently, he asked again;

"What happened?"

She sighed. "I just threw up, I don't think this British food is agreeing with me."

He rubbed her back and told her to go lie down.

"But you'll pack everything wrong, you'll just shove it in and not fold it, I really don't want to have to iron everythi-"

"Patricia, I'll be fine, you can help if you really really want to." He kissed her forehead and she smiled, still a little pale.

The flight back was largely uneventful. Patricia ended up falling asleep, curled up against the window and swathed in a thick blue blanket. 

Although it was only 20 to three when they got back to the airport, and half past four when they got home, they fell asleep immediately.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is complete now, new one coming very soon.


	20. hey moon, don't you go down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kind of like a sequel to the previous chapter i guess? anyway, enjoy x

Patricia woke up in a cold sweat, feeling sick again. She stumbled into the bathroom and turned on the light, the bright white highlighting shadows under her eyes. She stared at her reflection for a time. She hadn't eaten anything out of the ordinary. A thought flitted through her mind, conversations. She hurried over to the calender in a dizzy haze and traced her finger along the sates. Six weeks since her last period. Looking down at her stomach, she found her hand pressed against it. She checked the time- 5:45. The shops would be open now wouldn't they? She ran quietly back to her and Frank's bedroom, pulling on jeans, jumper and coat over her pyjamas. Scribbling a quick note for Frank, she grabbed her phone and wallet, tucking the note under the glasses case on the bedtime table.

The women at the desk just gave her look, that Patricia bet she gave every woman or girl making this purchase. She felt even sicker, now with nerves. She crept in the house as quietly as possible- Frank still hadn't woken up yet. Three tests clutched in her hand, she locked herself in the bathroom.

All three came out positive. She stared at them in disbelief, her stomach flipping and turning. She reached out to lean against something, for something to support her. A loud thud sounded and she hit the floor. She heard Frank calling her name faintly, then a metallic clicking. She vaguely recalled buying a key to open the bathroom door from the outside. 

Frank looked down at her and she met his eyes. He glanced at the tests on the floor beside her, and she broke into tears. He knelt beside her and held her in his arms, staring down at the three tests on the cold hard tiles.

It seemed like they stayed like that for hours, curled up on the bathroom floor.

"Are you sure?" Frank whispered at last.

"Pretty fucking sure." She said, her voice raspy from crying.

She looked up at him, and something flashed in her eyes. 

"You didn't plan this, did you? You didn't, like, just 'forget' to use a condom?" 

"No, no! No I swear I wouldn't."

"You've been doing a lot of planning recently. The honeymoon, the record stores, the nest egg." She sat up and shuffled away slightly so she could look at him properly.

"Patricia, that's ridiculous, I would not plan this just to get my way. This is your bodywe're talking about, your _choice_ , I would not do that to you."

She slumped and exhaled loudly. "I know." 

He nodded and wiped his nose, then stood up. He held out his hand to her and she stared at it like she'd never seen a hand before. 

"Please." She looked up at him and grasped his hand tightly.

He hauled her to her feet and caught her, holding onto her. She was almost collapsing with fatigue.

"Frank."

"Yeah?"

"I... I'm gonna throw up."

"Shit, okay." She fell to her knees and he held her hair for her, wrinkling his nose.

He got her some water from the kitchen and gave it to her, flushing the toilet. She giggled a little, then stopped because she was far to light-headed for giggling.

"I was gonna say I love you."

He smiled down at her. "It's okay, everyone expresses thing differently."

She smiled again and stood up by herself. Frank stepped forward and slipped an arm about her waist, helping her back to bed.

"You try and sleep, I'll get you a bowl. We're picking Gus up tomorrow, so you don't worry about anything." Frank turned to walk out of the room.

"Also, take a shower later. You stink."

"Thanks, Frank." 

"Still love you though." He said, crouching down beside the bed and kissing the rings on her finger.

"Nice save." She smiled at him and he grinned at her, standing up again and leaving the room. 

She found herself absentmidedly rubbing her belly when Frank came back in with a bowl and a tray of hot chocolate, cake, and aspirin. He placed the bowl and tray on the bed and sat down delicately, moving the drink to the nightstand.

"I checked about the aspirin and their fine, you don't have to eat the cake if you don't think you can hold it down, and I thought about putting coffee in the cocoa but then I didn't because I figured that wouldn't be good, you know?"

Patricia raised an eyebrow at him and downed the aspirin with a gulp of hot chocolate.

"It's lovely, thank you."

"You're lovely."

She took a small bite of the cake- chocolate and fudge, her favourite- and looked up to see Frank watching her eagerly. 

"You don't have to watch my every move, sweetie."

He pouted and kissed her forehead.

"I'm gonna go do some work then. Need anything just yell, okay?"

As he walked out the door, Patricia said;

"I still want to have a serious talk about this and what we're going to do about it, okay? Notice how neither of us has actually said 'pregnant' or 'preganancy' yet."

Frank looked down at his hand on the door handle and nodded.

"Yeah. Yeah, okay. Okay." Then he walked away, closing the door behind him.

She listened to him walking about the house, the radio being turned on, the kettle boiling. She rolled on her side, placing the cake beside the mug of hot chocolate. There she was again, rubbing her stomach with her hand. She rolled on her back and pulled up her top, looking down. Nothing to see yet, still flat as a pancake. Sighing, she tugged the covers back over herself and turned back on her side, pulling the covers back around her tightly and snuggling back down into them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BABIES AND PREGNANCY AND DRAMA AND OOO SO EXCITING AM I RIGHT?!?!?!  
> but seriously i am really excited to be writing this, i started writing it during an english test i had today i'm not kidding.  
> anyway, if you're still reading this or you just found it, thank you for reading this. i used to love writing when i was little, but i haven't been writing for fun a lot recently and i've remembered how much i enjoy it, whether it's this fic or another or a completely different story.  
> whatever. thanks for reading this, have a lovely day, ily tons. nobody really reads the end notes do they?


	21. this used to be you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy x

Patricia didn't go outside for two whole weeks. She stayed inside just relaxing, eating, sleeping. The leave she'd taken for the marriage and honeymoon ending was what took her back to work in the end- she just wanted to sleep all the time. Her morning sickness was still bad, although didn't trouble her until late evening and early morning. She'd mostly been just thinking about the consequences of this. Was she old enough, responsible enough? So many questions and worries nagged at the back of her mind.

She and Frank had met up with Patrick, Pete, Gerard and Oliver to tell them the news. They'd all taken it well, Pete getting really excited and looking like he'd burst if he didn't say something soon. Patrick laughed and said,

"You can tell them, you don't need my permission."

And he'd told them all how he and Patrick were taking courses for adoption, and were now on the list to permanently adopt. Patricia had been glad the conversation could move from her and...well, her child.

She picked up the last stack of books and walked about the library, placing them in their proper places. Sometimes she just felt too overwhelmed by it, and she just had to push all those thoughts to the back of her mind and distract herself. She wasn't exactly scared, or panicking, it just felt like it was all happening to soon. Two and a half months she'd been preganant for. Her stomach was beggining to show a little now- she'd also gained weight, having been craving blueberry cheesecake for the past two weeks. 

Frank was being an angel about it though. She knew he would be, and that he would obviously help her- it was their child, their  _family._ He helped her, just made her life easier. He'd be a great father, he was already treating Gus like his baby.

He was growing fast, almost half grown now and more energetic than ever. She smiled to herself as she remembered waking up to Frank dragging Gus's mouse toy along the ground and getting his fingers scratched from Gus's claws.

She placed the last book on the shelf, and turned to leave. Before she did, the pale pink spine of a book caught her eye - ' _Your day-by-day guide to Pregnancy_ '. Picking it up off the shelf, she turned it over a few times, looking at the blurb and contents page. Getting out her wallet as she went, she walked over to the desk and checked out the book herself, before placing it carefully in her messenger bag. 

~*~

When she got home, the house was empty. Frank wouldn't be home until 5, so she had the hosue to herself for two hours. She walked up the stairs to get changed into her pyjamas, passing the guest room on the way. Patricia wanted to start decorating it next weekend before she got to big to help Frank do it, so they'd bought paint. Gerard was going to do a painting on one wall, and the rest would be cream- better to keep it neutral since they didn't want to find out the sex of their child until the birth.

Her first scan was tomorrow, and she was very nervous. Standing in front of the mirror, she looked at the slight swell of her stomach. Gus padded into the room and rubbed his head against her leg, begging for attention. 

Smiling, she dropped the hem of her shirt and scooped him up, grabbing her laptop as she walked out of the room. She stretched out on the couch and rested her feet on Gus's favourite furry cushion. He just curled himself around her fluffly sock covered feet and watched her power up her laptop. 

Remembering the book she'd borrowed earlier, she took it out of her book and flicked through it curiously.

~*~

When Frank got it, he found Patricia still in that same position, reading.

"Hey sweetheart" he greeted her, kissing her head and peering at the cover of the book.

"Hey Frank." She looked up at him and tapped the paragraph she was reading.

"You know I can smell, like, everything? And apparently my hair gets thicker as well, and in three weeks the baby'll be hearing things..."

Frank stared down at the book. "That's so cool..."

"It's crazy." She smiled down at her belly, then grinned back up at Frank.

"How was work?"

"It was okay. Not that busy today, we got a new order of guitars in though, that's why I'm late home."

Patricia glanced at the clock- it was six o'clock. She must have fallen asleep at some point.

"I bet you spent the whole time 'testing' them all, didn't you?" 

Frank grinned. "You know me too well."

He pushed away from where he was leaning against the couch and wandered into the kitchen.

"Dinner's gonna be ready in twenty minutes!" Frank called. Before she could answer, he added;

"It's beef casserole!"

She smiled to herself. She put the pregnancy book on the floor next to her and went on her laptop, feeling a lot better about tomorrows scan.


	22. time just flies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just the first part (probably i don't know i'm always changing my mind like seriously i wrote out five different endings to this chapter)

~5 months later~

Pete and Patrick had now adopted a little boy, Bronx. He was two years old, with blonde curly hair and bright blue eyes which Pete always said were Patrick's, which Patrick said was stupid because he wasn't related by blood to Bronx. Patrick had also lost a lot of weight these past few months. _  
_

They'd moved to one of the larger houses on Frank and Patricia's street so they'd have enough room for Bronx. He'd been with them for 3 months now? Patricia couldn't quite remember. It was around Halloween that they had first bought him to their home, and they'd stayed at home like Patricia and Frank had.

Halloween had been a much quieter affair than last year. Ryan had still thrown a party, but that was mostly to take his mind of Brendon Patricia thought. They hadn't been doing so well since the wedding, Brendon had moved out after a particularly violent yelling match and was staying with a friend. Ryan wasn't dealing with it very well to say the least, he wouldn't tell anyone what had happened.

Christmas had been nice. Everyone had gone to Pete and Patrick's since they had the biggest house, and they'd done a secret-santa style present giving and buying system.

She was eight months along, and impressively round. Her feet were swollen, and her back was aching almost constantly. Frank was, as normal, being an angel though. She'd left work three weeks ago for maternity leave so she hadn't had much to do except crash at the Stump-Wentz household. 

Not that that wasn't fun, it was, but she was getting tired of being so round and fat and pregnant. Everything was becoming a struggle now, even painting. She'd been painting a lot recently, helping Gerard with the painting in the new room and doodling in her sketch book. 

The painting in the new room was based on the room from rapunzel's tower in  _Tangled_. It was a stone brick wall, with a tall window in the center showing woods, a small creek and mountains in the distance. It was amazingly detailed, from the cracks and shadows on the stone wall to the trees and grass outside. It was beautiful, and had taken Gerard and Patricia two months between them. It was worth it though.

Thinking about it, it was all worth it. Or at least, it would be if this baby would ever arrive.

At that moment, the door bell rang, pulling her out of her thoughts. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was only four so Frank wouldn't be home yet. Sighing, she moved Gus off of her lap and heaved herself off the couch and waddled to the door. 

When she opened it, Frank was stood there beaming.

"I got the rest of the day off! Bob said he could handle the rest of the day, so I came home."

She grinned and hugged him awkwardly, shutting the door behind him.

"You been to see Pete and Patrick today?" He asked, hanging his bag on the coat rack.

"Yeah, they're doing fine. Bronx is good as well, he's settled in really great."

"Good, good. Hey, what's wrong?" 

Patricia was holding her stomach and staring down at it. Suddenly, she grabbed Frank's hand and placed it on her bump.

"Can you feel it?" She whispered.

He knelt down and put both hands on the place where the baby had just kicked. It never ceased to amaze him. His face lit up and he almost seemed to glow as he stared at her swollen stomach, completely amazed.

"Only a month to go now." He smiled up at her. She helped him to his feet and he bounced into the lounge, greeting Gus enthusiastically. 

"Just a month" She murmured to herself, looking down at her bump. She felt the baby kick again and wondered if it could understand what she was saying. 

 


	23. Febuary 11th, 4:26pm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On snowy days with shining eyes we ran through the snow, and I wished that it could never end.

Patrick was walking slightly ahead with Bronx, and Pete was walking with Patricia a few paces back. It was Febuary 11th, Frank was working and Patricia was on a walk with them in the park Frank had proposed to her in. She watched Bronx scoop up a handful of snow and stuff it inside Patrick's glove, and giggled when Patrick swooped down on him and spun him around.

Suddenly, there was cold down her back and Pete was running away, cackling like a hyena as he threw a snowball at the back of Patrick's head, knocking off the fedora perched there. Patricia was laughing loudly now and ran over to Patrick. Bronx grabbed her sleeve.

"We gotta get Daddy, he was  _bad._ " 

"Yeah Bronx, lets get him!" Patrick grinned at Patricia and snatched up a handful of snow, looking around for Pete.

Patricia spotted him first, hiding behind a tree, and threw a snow ball. It missed, but Pete still ran. Patrick took aim  and hit him square in the back. He fell dramitcally into the snow and the three of them ran forward- Patricia more waddling as fast as she could.

When she finally caught up with them, they were running around shrieking in a flurry of snow. She leant against a bench and to catch her breath. A pang of pain shot through her abdomen, and she gasped. Looking down, she thought it was just kicking until a hot wetness ran down the inside of her leggins. 

She started breathing faster. This couldn't be happening now, she wasn't ready, not now. Someone was yelling, and Patrick had a hand on her shoulder and he was saying something, what was he saying?

"Whats happening, is the baby coming now? Patricia, whats wrong?" 

"Its, its, my water broke. It hurts" Pete was holding Bronx, looking worried. Patrick was very calm, just took her hand and asked if she could walk.

"Yes, yeah I think so."

"Okay, the car isn't to far away. It's going to be alright, just take deep breaths."

Somehow, they made it to the car. She sat shot gun and Patrick drove, Pete sat in the back calming down Bronx. She didn't remember much of getting to the hospital until she was lying on a hospital bed. She could hear Pete on the phone outside talking to Frank on the phone, and then to Gerard. SHe heard hushed whispers outside, then Patrick walked in and sat down on the chair next to the bed.

"I'm staying here until Frank gets here. A doctors on the way." He squeezed her hand gently.

"It's gonna be okay." She nodded and concentrated on her breathing, trying not to have a panic attack.

Frank got there five minutes later, and stood next to her all through it, holding her hand almost tighter than she held his.

~*~

Seven hours later, they got home. They sat opposite each other, Patricia on the couch and Frank in her armchair. The baby slept soundly between them in a moses basket, swaddled in blankets. They just looked from her, too each other, and back to the baby.

"What do we do with her?" Frank whispered, gazing in wonder at the babies face. Patricia would've laughed, but she knew exactly what he meant. She didn't know the answer.

"I think" She began. "I think we should go to bed." 

He nodded and smiled faintly. 

"Yeah, yeah okay."

Patricia picked her up carefully in the basket, and started upstairs. She was exhausted. Frank had to almost carry her upstairs. As soon as she got into their room, she lay back on the bed on her side so she could peer into the basket at the baby. Her baby. Their baby.

"Marilyn Lily Iero." She murmured, tentatively stroking her soft plump cheek.

"Whats that?" Frank asked.

"Can we move the cot in here?" 

"I'll do it, you could barely get up here." She didn't complain, just let him bring it in.

When Marilyn was settled in her cot, Frank helped Patricia change and then changed himself, cuddling up to her under the blankets. He rubbed small circles into her hip and rested his head in the crook of her neck. She was asleep in an instant.


	24. all grown up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry updates have been slow. i was so shocked to find so many hits, its so weird to think that i wrote this story for one person and now its been viewed so many times. enjoy x

~five years later~

Patricia stood in the doorway of her home, waving good bye to Frank and Marilyn as they drove away down the street. She could feel tears brimming in her eyes, and she squeezed William's hand. Marilyn's first day at school, Frank would be dropping her off and picking her up on the way too and from his work. It felt like only last week she'd been sitting in the cafe when Frank had walked in, just yesterday that Marilyn had been born.

She turned and walked back into the house with a sigh. Will picked up on her sombre mood and sat down on the carpet with a jigsaw he and his dad had been working on, a 5000 piece one sprawled across the cream floor. Gus was curled up on the arm of the sofa, pudgy and soft with age, muzzle and whiskers greying. The dogs were curled up in a heap- Henry, Sinatra and Piglet. Patricia sat on the couch and ran her fingers through Gus's fur, watching Will trying to find the rest of the outside edges of the jigsaw. After a time, she got up and put the radio on, then sat next to Will on the carpet and quietly helped him solve the puzzle.

Five years had passed in a flash, in seemingly no time at all. Mikey had passed away three years ago, which'd hit the whole group very hard. Gerard had relapsed into old habits- more drinks and pills and less and less food. Oliver had helped him, helped him massively with all his problems. Frank had spent three days almost completly still in bed, not sleeping, until Patricia had yelled at him that he couldn't give up on them, not with her pregnant with Will and Marilyn just three, with Gerard struggling just as much and her too. The anniversary of his death, of his birthday, were still very hard.

Patrick, Pete, Joe and Andy's band had gotten extremely famous. Bronx would stay with Patricia and Frank when they toured, skyping his parents every weekend for hours. They were never gone for more than three-four months, hating to be missing out on Bronx growing up. Andy had settled down with his long term girlfriend Keira, they'd gotten married last summer and Keira was now five months pregnant.

Frank's record stores had opened up nine more branches all over Chicago. He'd stepped down from being head of the buisness that'd ccome to be running, and handed the job over to Ray who was, much better suited to it. He still recieved a large portion of income from all the stores, but now just ran the original shop. It wasn't much, but it was enough to pay for the house and food and bills, along with Patricia's job as a free-lance journalist.

The day passed lazily. Patrick bought Bronx over since his school were on a founders holiday, and Pete was doing an interview. Bronx and Will were good friends despite the age difference, and were running around the summery garden as Patrick and Patricia watched from the shad of the bak porch. The dogs played with them as well, the five of them running around like they were all dogs. The pair chatted, catching up on things. Brendon had another girlfriend, Sarah, whom he'd fallen head-over-heels for. Ryan had moved away from Chicago a while back, after he and Brendon had had one last massive fight. They still heard from him occasionally, the odd email or phone call, but not for a while. 

Patricia was washing up in the kitchen when the door bell rang. She dumped the dishes in the bowl and ran through the dining room and lounge, opening the door with her gloves still on, dripping soapy water onto the floor. Frank was standing at the door, holding onto Marilyn's bag with one hand and holding her own little hand in the other. He was grinning his same old cheshire grin, the one that still made him seem like a teenage school boy, the faintest of wrinkles crinkling his sparkling eyes. Patricia hugged Marilyn back when she leapt into her arms.

"How was school sweetie?" Patricia asked, looking at her round face and tucking a strand of black hair behind her daughter's ear.

"It was so cool! I made a _two_  new friends!" Marilyn squealed, bouncing on her feet and looking immensly pleased with herself.

"Hey Marilyn" Patrick peered round from behind an arm chair, sitting on the floor with Will to help him with his jigsaw.

"Uncle Patty!" Marilyn dashed past Patricia to greet him.

Patricia stood up again and kissed Frank lightly. "How was work?"

"It was fine." He smiled at her fondly, shutting the door behind him and kissing her forehead. "Boring as hell though."

"Work is always boring." She grinned at him, taking Marilyn's bag and hanging it on the wall. They walked into the lounge and sat down with the others, chatting and laughing and finishing off the jigsaw.

After an hour or two, Patrick and Bronx left when Pete called to tell them he was home. Marilyn wanted to pack away the jigsaw after that- she found them boring, preferred to be read to or draw a picture or play with the dogs. Will was good at them, and quieter than Marilyn, more sensitive. He reminded Patricia of Frank a lot, especially when he smiled.

They ended up leaving the jigsaw out on the floor and watching a movie, sitting in the lounge with their dinners as a treat because it'd been Marilyn's first day at school. Will ended up falling asleep at 8, so Frank carried him upstairs as Marilyn followed behind, complaining that she 'wasn't even tired yet' through wide yawns.

When they were tucked up in their beds, Frank put The Corpse Bride on and they watched it together curled up on the couch with Piglet at one end of the couch and Gus at the other. They didn't stay up for much longer after the film finished, but cleared up and shut the dogs in the kitchen to sleep- Patricia remembered when they'd first gotten Henry and let him sleep in the lounge, waking up to him running around the house like a maniac and the couch cushions in ruins. She smiled at the memory as she slid under the covers, snuggling against Frank's warm body. Resting her head on his chest out of habit, she listened to his heartbeat and let it lull her to sleep, the same as almost every night for over six years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i did not cry writing this.


	25. Epilogue

Frank and Patricia sat on their front porch. Their grand kids were playing with the dogs in the front yard, and Will and Marilyn were chatting with their partners and Bronx next to them. Frank watched as his wife tapped the keys on a laptop, stopping to tuck her long grey hair behind her ears. She was answering emails for him- his eyesight just wasn't good enough anymore, even with his glasses the glare of the screens always seemed to bright.

After a while, she announced that she was going for a short walk- Frank imediatley stood up on impulse and said he'd go with her. She smiled at him and kissed everyone goodbye, smiling fondly at their family. The two of them got up and walked out of the front yard, turning left down the street. All the houses were fairly large, and trees lined the sidewalk. Late afternoon sunlight slanted down at angles, casting green shadows.

"Where are we going?" Frank asked. Patricia looked at him and smiled. 

"I don't know. I just wanted to walk."

"Okay." He slipped his hand into hers, feeling the well-worn rings on her finger. 

They walked on in silence for a while, slowly and leisurely, taking their time. After a time, they came to a small second-hand bookshop, situated next to an old coffee shop. Frank turned and grinned at her, to find her already looking at him. She blushed ( _still the same after all these years_ ).

"Hey you" He poked her side gently. "Wanna stop for a coffee?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah I bet you thought this had ended, right? WRONG! I couldn't leave this unfinished so, as a birthday present, I finished it.
> 
> Now go to your next present!!! GO!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn4TwtcEvMw&list=PLeidEeBqwaT6P10GVfQeeYq8u5UZ_ct3h


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